Zeitlich

Cement and mixed media on canvas, 24" x 30"

Yesterday, while dozing on the couch, during a delicious cranial treatment ~ two words suddenly appeared.
This may not seem extraordinary...but they were in German, and I don't speak German ~ my practitioner didn't speak it either. This left me pondering....Why these two words?....and why German?

The second question was easier to answer than the first.

My Twitter friend @detlef_c (Detlef Cordes) is German (at least, he tweets a lot in German) and through him, other German friends have come. I see the words as they appear on screen, not knowing any meaning ~ the odd word like 'ist' and Liebe' maybe...the rest ~ pure symbol.

I'm more conscious of the German word....and that's how zeit-lich came ~ not as a sound at first, but as a written word – an image.

This idea of being 'conscious' of a thing, interests me. It seems there's a subtle (but overwhelming) difference between 'having' thoughts about something and 'being' conscious of it ~ as if a channel opens up.

The first question, unwound itself....

I had a painting, part started, part finished ~ just 5 black lines on some concrete.

This morning, when i did a quick translate of the words Zeit lich it gave me Temporal
I checked this out with Detlef and he agreed it was a possible translation, depending on context.
Well, here it is.
I hope my German friends will forgive any misinterpretation!

Here is a poem to go with the piece –

yesterday, today, tomorrow / three words / one clock ~ #haiku

Posted by Andrew Crane

Jul 16, 2009

RaspberryDoodle said...

I am always in awe of the striking simplicity of your work. I love it

Detlef said...

No misinterpretation at all! Thank you for the mention. I perceive it as a gift to be able to view a letter or a number as a pure symbol. We unlearn that at school - which has its good side effects as we are able to "understand". But to understand something often prevents us from being conscious of: it? the communication? being here now?

I love this work. Thank you for opening a door.

Andrew Crane said...

Thank you both, for your beautiful words.

Ronelle said...

Ah ha-exactly -perfect words for the concept!!

ilonapet said...

there are so many german words that are impossible to translate into one word...they are a ' complete thought'. zeitlich to me means "to be ocurring at the right or appropriate time". i love your interpretation..your symbol for that thought.

I love your translation Ilona...and it fits the couch perfectly! Thank you :)

Frauke Watson said...

I agree with Ilona, that was my first feeling when I saw the painting, although there are several other nuances. There is always the element of the unexplained, and some things should not be explained, certainly not in art, I feel.

Thanks Ronelle! x

Thank you Frauke. You're quite right of course, and it's always been a dilemma with my work...this business of words with paintings. But there is always the choice of not looking at the words...or indeed, not looking at the painting! :)

Jul 17, 2009