Orchéstra | Ορχήστρα oil on canvas (linen) 120 × 150 cm May 1982
Orchéstra, originally ‘dance floor’; the place to get in line. Who is participating, in a figurative sense? Who rightfully jumps into line, or conversely out of it, when it comes down to it, and who is proven right in the end? Put differently, who gets the credit? Heroism can be seen as a tension between the driving forces of arrogance vs. empathy — a theme evoking intense emotions, gratefully used in the arts, not in the least in music.
Read more
In a sense, music is an architectural design set in time. Being a mathematical construct, it is neatly divided into note lengths, bars, phrases, themes and parts of, for example, a symphony. This in itself can be experienced as something beautiful.
However, a short single tone sometimes encompasses a world of musical emotion. On the other hand, one may recall a long symphony as if it were a single breath. As such, this precious experience is completely independent of measurable time.
Such an experience among the musicians — the orchestra — is shown here, the colour and lighting functioning as a metaphor for a fireplace. Its radiating warmth and light will hopefully also reach the audience.
Many of my friends revolve around the orchestra — both in space and time.
Reminiscences
Warm thoughts of fellow musicians, past and present
