Compelling Faces in Art - Teodor Axentowicz, Under the burden of misery.

The work of Teodor Axentowicz, as well as other Eastern European Symbolist artists, were ignored, presumably because virtually all their paintings were behind the Iron Curtain and thus impossible to see. It appears they had an approach to Symbolism all their own, heavily influenced by folklore. 

"Under the burden of misery" (pastel on paper) stands out for me. Symbolist painters believed that art should reflect an emotion or idea rather than represent the natural world in the objective, quasi-scientific manner embodied by Realism and Impressionism. They felt that the symbolic value or meaning of a work of art stemmed from the recreation of emotional experiences in the viewer through color, line, and composition. 

And the emotional reaction I get from this, brings “Signs and Symbols” by Vladimir Nabokov to mind. In particular the passage: “This, and much more, she accepted - for after all living did mean accepting the loss of one joy after another, not even joys in her case - mere possibilities of improvement. She thought of the endless waves of pain that for some reason or other she and her husband had to endure; of the invisible giants hurting her boy in some unimaginable fashion; of the incalculable amount of tenderness contained in the world; of the fate of this tenderness, which is either crushed, or wasted, or transformed into madness; of neglected children humming to themselves in unswept corners; of beautiful weeds that cannot hide from the farmer and helplessly have to watch the shadow of his simian stoop leave mangled flowers in its wake, as the monstrous darkness approaches.”

Compelling Faces in Art - Hugues Merle, Mary Magdalene in the Cave, 1868.

If you saw this work and thought “Bougeureau,” you could be forgiven. Hugues Merle (French, 1823-1881) is in many ways a forgotten proto-Bougeureau. Merle and William-Adolphe Bougeureau (1825-1905) knew one another well and, for a time, were represented by the same gallery. 

Their penchant for mythical, allegorical and literary scenes combined with mastery of the monumental human figure, made them competitors for the same pupils, positions, prizes and patrons. Mary Magdaline is known for her remarkable understanding and appropriation of Jesus’ teaching, and is at the center of the controversy reflecting a developing tension between those who claim authority based on the idea of succession and those who claim authority based on spiritual gifts, especially prophetic experience. 

As a result, she is usually remembered as a woman of questionable reputation rather than as the first witness of the resurrection. The face in this painting, to me, depicts a women, chosen by God, to be the first to proclaim the most essential truth of the Christian faith: that He is risen!

Compelling Faces in Art - Petrus Christus, Portrait of a Young Woman, c. 1470

She certainly does not feel the weight of the yoke on her back, yet is locked into privilege. She is a slave to it; completely unable to define and determine alternative standards; to decide on the nature and extent of her identity. The artist may be implying, that those of wealth and privilege have lost the ability and daring to imagine what the future could be.

Compelling Faces in Art - Egon Schiele, Mother and Child (Madonna).

Mother and Child (Madonna) by Egon Schiele. Here we have an emotional and spiritual vision that vividly communicates a profound psychic experience. The mother conveys an ominous, frightening, anti-maternal aura. And oddly enough, her plump illuminated child looks stalwart if not resigned to be trapped in her foreboding grip.

Compelling Faces in Art - Gari Melchers, Sunday Mass.

Gari Melchers was an American artist (1860-1932). His painting, Sunday Mass (c.1886), depicts the interior of a church with parishioners in traditional Dutch clothes. The faces, as well as the poses, demonstrates Melchers’ qualities as a storyteller. I can imagine the preacher teaching these women to pay attention to the good gifts of God that surround them, and developing habits of gratitude. And, I also see in their faces what Norman Maclean describes in A River Runs Through It and Other Stories: “We can love completely what we cannot completely understand.”

Compelling Faces in Art - Vincent van Gogh, Agostina Segatori Sitting in the Café du Tambourin.

Vincent van Gogh’s “Agostina Segatori Sitting in the Café du Tambourin.” This face is almost expressionless, but it is not inactive. It displays a certain resignation, emphasized by the resting pose of the body. She offers her face to be looked at in all its stillness. A stillness that is also full of hidden movement, on the verge of change, whether into sadness or into a smile: sadness in the drooping eyes; a smile beginning to curl itself into view. Is the resignation evolving into realization?

Book Trailers and Publishing

The world of publishing these days is in the midst of a sea change. The brick and mortar sellers are disappearing, and some of the best writing is coming from small and independent publishers. The big houses are spending less on promotion, and authors find themselves now the main promoters of their work. Social media has become a way for them to network, promote new books and short stories. They find themselves responsible for booking their own readings and signings at local book stores.

Book trailers have become a recent addition to the literary world. They are video promotions used as a launch element. They are basically put together by the author or a techie type family member or friend. The ones who have some money to work with, hire a professional to produce it. They come as a grab bag of pseudo big budget movie trailers, to mundane talking head author interviews.

Most authors will tell you that they detest the idea of having to do this. After pouring your soul into the creation of a work, the idea that you now have to become a snake oil salesman is horrifying. We, as authors, would like to think that our work will find its audience, and that the work speaks for itself. The sad fact is that no one will buy your book, if they don’t know about it.

The home for these trailers, is YouTube.

Many people view them as truly strange cultural artifacts. I’ll let you judge.

I have two examples from author friends who have the same publisher as me.

String Bridge by Jessica Bell

Jessica Bell grew up in Melbourne, Australia, to two gothic rock musicians who had successful independent careers during the '80s and early '90s. She spent much of her childhood traveling to and from Australia to Europe, experiencing two entirely different worlds, yet feeling equally at home in both environments. She currently lives in Athens, Greece and works as a freelance writer/editor for Hellenic American Union, Cengage Learning, Pearson Education, Education First and Signature Manuscripts. Jessica Bell has published a book of poetry called Twisted Velvet Chains. Jessica sings on the video.

My Beginning by Melissa Kline

Melissa Kline penned her first novel at the age of thirteen and has been writing consistently for fifteen years. She has completed ten young adult novels and several short stories. Her preferred genre is young adult, but she writes non-fiction and children's books as well. Her calling is to connect with others and give hope through writing. She is particularly interested in supporting women and young adults.

Now here is my low budget, low tech video trailer of one of my books, written under the pen name, Tonto Fielding.