[MD] Painting

[MarshaV]

SELF-PORTRAITS

"One reason for their (women's) invisibility is that the origin of 
self-portraiture is always explained through male examples.  A wish 
to put a personal stamp on their work moved male scribes to draw 
images of themselves into their manuscripts and sculptors to chisel 
their likeness into church carvings.  Italian and particularly 
Flemish and German artists of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries 
inserted themselves into their religious paintings, peering out of 
windows, round corners or through doorways.  Self-portraits finally 
came out of their corners at the end of the fifteenth century with 
the German artist Albrecht Durer's famous succession of self-portraits."
      (Borzello, SEEING OURSELVES: Women's Self-Portraits',etc.)

It just might be that women and men have a very different way of 
structuring 'self'.  Arlo, no matter how many times I read your 
posts, they are like a foreign language.  I can't agree with you 
because you do not make sense to me. I am fully aware of playing 
multiple roles.  A woman would be far more aware of this than a 
man.  The very reason I bolted is the fear of 'being labeled'.  I 
want the ability to see what is going on underneath all that external 
labeling.   And I would like the ability to choose my own 
labels.  After my husband died (and I loved him very much) and a few 
dangerous years of adventure, that is what I needed to do.  When my 
husband died I was left without a self for the first time in my 
life.  There was work to do.   And so I found a cave.

Honesty is important to me whether it be honesty from others or 
honesty within myself.  (This would not be a licence to be 
cruel.)   My honesty may be frightened, defensive and timid, but it 
is honorable.  Maybe it's different for men.  I don't know.  Of 
course, it's dangerous to overgeneralize, but it sounds to me like 
you're saying dishonesty is no big deal because there is no 
self.  Maybe not deeply enough, but I understand no-self. I 
understand there is no-self, but I find that all the more reason for 
being honest.

Also, honesty is the root of trust.

What do you want?




Marsha










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Shoot for the moon.  Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars.........
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