Ορχήστρα / Orchéstra
oil on canvas (linen)
120 × 150 cm
May 1982
Orchéstra, originally ‘dance floor’; the place to form a row for ‘the dance’. Who participates? Who jumps into the row rightly, or out of it, when it really matters? Who – in hindsight – is right, and who gets the honour? 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.
Reminiscences:
- Warm thoughts of fellow musicians, past and present
- Eroïca (Beethoven)
- Bergson’s philosophy
» 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.
» Read less