At Christmas, I really can treat myself to a couple of days in Brussels first. The longer I can resist travelling for, the more money I will have to spend when I get there, and so the happier I will feel. Especially if I know I can come back to London and pay it off quickly with my new continence. Going to Vienna in December will give me the chance to see the After Schiele exhibition at the Atelier Augarten. ‘Courbet, who in his pictures constantly examined himself and his artistry, often re-worked his portraits according to his moods and viewpoints, and it is possible that the painful separation from his lover in the years between 1851-54 prompted “The Wounded Man”. He sees himself as wounded by heartache and abandoned in a twilit landscape.
One can hardly overlook the similarity between his figure and that of Christ. Identifying with Christ gave the artist the possibility of expressing his status as that of a pariah fired by an ideal, as one burdened with insight in an uncomprehending society, and who suffers greatly because of this. When the Vendôme Column collapsed in Paris, Courbet explicitly cited this concept: “Here I stand before this pillar of infamy, like Jesus when he carried his Cross.”
Oh God I am so excited about going to Vienna in December! And I am so excited about all the weeks before then, just twelve, when I can not go out, and save money frenziedly. These will be rich weeks, rich in writing and classical music, and ferns. Rich in drinks in the Calcutta, cinema, and time spent with my mother. This week I want to go to the Rebels & Martyrs exhibition, and The Third Man at the NFT. Maybe even Miami Vice. “Boundless aestheticism and ambivalent premonitions of an imminent and inevitable decline brought about a unique atmosphere in turn-of-the-century imperial Vienna, and led to Early Austrian Expressionism.” I am aware of the decline and decadence, the sensual decadence, the diving deeper into darkness, the romantic nihilism in myself, so that is why I am attracted to Vienna around 1900, to Weimar Berlin. If I am to dive deeper into darkness, then let me do it when it is dark, in December! I think a new mature phase of my life is about to begin, it is struggling through its metamorphosis and is just about to emerge from its chrysalis! A new mature diving deeper into darkness! A new mature sensual decadence!
If I can achieve this it will be like shaking hands with myself. A dip in the grotesque.
“Violetta, the courtesan. Always free and libertine, always playful, venerated and admired everywhere she goes. But slowly and imperceptibly, consumption spreads through her body. When she meets Alfredo, she finally discovers true love and denounces her dissolute life. Alfredo’s father begs her to leave his son to save their family’s honor. And so the Traviata, this depraved woman, sacrifices herself for the sake of love and breaks with Alfredo without telling him why. Passionate outbursts abound, and the border between love and hate proves slight – until the truth comes out and love triumphs. But happiness doesn’t last, as death will not be deferred. In spite of its scandalous premiere, La Traviata has easily won a place of honor in the hearts of music-lovers.” How this reminds me of Riccarda. Olga, too, a bit. How I saw Lela deteriorate, and Ana Maria, too. What pleasure I feel at night, just going to the Calcutta for a night cap. It will be great to see Vienna in The Third Man on a big screen again. Oh what a long way off December is! I must be able to enjoy Demi and Pamela before then. There is nothing specially to go for in December so I can go at any time, let’s say arriving Wednesday 6th December in Vienna for four nights, that would be £58 a night and £230 in total. Not bad. I just feel relief and release. Storms, floods and record tides on way. “Storms and floods are forecast in the coming weeks as the hot summer comes to an end. Experts said last night that heavy rainfall was expected to affect many central and eastern regions during the next two days as areas of low pressure sweep in from the Atlantic. Further torrential downpours are forecast for Thursday and Friday.” How to enjoy this? Sitting by my open window in my flat, in the lamplight with the black skies thundering outside, spray splashing into my room, as I write on my laptop, and listen to Viennese music on my tape machine. This is always the greatest pleasure. The simple pleasures are the only realities. It is much more pleasurable to be sitting alone in my flat with the rain pouring down outside, drowning out the music from the tapeplayer inside, than it is to be in my bedroom at home. It is so pleasurable in fact. To think I can just run next door to get a hamburger & fries. I might actually stay in my flat all week this week. No rush to go home as mother is away. I can go home Friday afternoon just for haircut and come back Saturday afternoon, for drink that night in Calcutta. Wednesday I can go for early drink then Rebels & Martyrs, then back early to my flat for evening in. Thursday I can go out at teatime to Calcutta before The Third Man late maybe. Read Karl Marx at night at work.
One can hardly overlook the similarity between his figure and that of Christ. Identifying with Christ gave the artist the possibility of expressing his status as that of a pariah fired by an ideal, as one burdened with insight in an uncomprehending society, and who suffers greatly because of this. When the Vendôme Column collapsed in Paris, Courbet explicitly cited this concept: “Here I stand before this pillar of infamy, like Jesus when he carried his Cross.”
Oh God I am so excited about going to Vienna in December! And I am so excited about all the weeks before then, just twelve, when I can not go out, and save money frenziedly. These will be rich weeks, rich in writing and classical music, and ferns. Rich in drinks in the Calcutta, cinema, and time spent with my mother. This week I want to go to the Rebels & Martyrs exhibition, and The Third Man at the NFT. Maybe even Miami Vice. “Boundless aestheticism and ambivalent premonitions of an imminent and inevitable decline brought about a unique atmosphere in turn-of-the-century imperial Vienna, and led to Early Austrian Expressionism.” I am aware of the decline and decadence, the sensual decadence, the diving deeper into darkness, the romantic nihilism in myself, so that is why I am attracted to Vienna around 1900, to Weimar Berlin. If I am to dive deeper into darkness, then let me do it when it is dark, in December! I think a new mature phase of my life is about to begin, it is struggling through its metamorphosis and is just about to emerge from its chrysalis! A new mature diving deeper into darkness! A new mature sensual decadence!
If I can achieve this it will be like shaking hands with myself. A dip in the grotesque.
“Violetta, the courtesan. Always free and libertine, always playful, venerated and admired everywhere she goes. But slowly and imperceptibly, consumption spreads through her body. When she meets Alfredo, she finally discovers true love and denounces her dissolute life. Alfredo’s father begs her to leave his son to save their family’s honor. And so the Traviata, this depraved woman, sacrifices herself for the sake of love and breaks with Alfredo without telling him why. Passionate outbursts abound, and the border between love and hate proves slight – until the truth comes out and love triumphs. But happiness doesn’t last, as death will not be deferred. In spite of its scandalous premiere, La Traviata has easily won a place of honor in the hearts of music-lovers.” How this reminds me of Riccarda. Olga, too, a bit. How I saw Lela deteriorate, and Ana Maria, too. What pleasure I feel at night, just going to the Calcutta for a night cap. It will be great to see Vienna in The Third Man on a big screen again. Oh what a long way off December is! I must be able to enjoy Demi and Pamela before then. There is nothing specially to go for in December so I can go at any time, let’s say arriving Wednesday 6th December in Vienna for four nights, that would be £58 a night and £230 in total. Not bad. I just feel relief and release. Storms, floods and record tides on way. “Storms and floods are forecast in the coming weeks as the hot summer comes to an end. Experts said last night that heavy rainfall was expected to affect many central and eastern regions during the next two days as areas of low pressure sweep in from the Atlantic. Further torrential downpours are forecast for Thursday and Friday.” How to enjoy this? Sitting by my open window in my flat, in the lamplight with the black skies thundering outside, spray splashing into my room, as I write on my laptop, and listen to Viennese music on my tape machine. This is always the greatest pleasure. The simple pleasures are the only realities. It is much more pleasurable to be sitting alone in my flat with the rain pouring down outside, drowning out the music from the tapeplayer inside, than it is to be in my bedroom at home. It is so pleasurable in fact. To think I can just run next door to get a hamburger & fries. I might actually stay in my flat all week this week. No rush to go home as mother is away. I can go home Friday afternoon just for haircut and come back Saturday afternoon, for drink that night in Calcutta. Wednesday I can go for early drink then Rebels & Martyrs, then back early to my flat for evening in. Thursday I can go out at teatime to Calcutta before The Third Man late maybe. Read Karl Marx at night at work.
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