light traces
TRANSCRIPT
LIGHTTRACES
STUDIESINCONTINENTALTHOUGHT
JohnSallis,editorConsultingEditorsRobertBernasconiRudolphBernetJohnD.CaputoDavidCarrEdwardS.CaseyHubertDreyfusDonIhdeDavidFarrellKrellLenoreLangsdorfAlphonsoLingisWilliamL.McBrideJ.N.MohantyMaryRawlinsonTomRockmoreCalvinO.Schrag†ReinerSchürmannCharlesE.ScottThomasSheehanRobertSokolowskiBruceW.WilshireDavidWood
LIGHTTRACES
JOHNSALLIS
PaintingsanddrawingsbyAlejandroA.Vallega
IndianaUniversityPressBloomington&Indianapolis
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©2014byJohnSallis(text)andAlejandroA.Vallega(images)Allrightsreserved
Nopartofthisbookmaybereproducedorutilizedinanyformorbyanymeans,electronicormechanical,includingphotocopyingandrecording,orbyanyinformationstorageandretrievalsystem,withoutpermissioninwritingfromthepublisher.TheAssociationofAmericanUniversityPresses’ResolutiononPermissionsconstitutestheonlyexceptiontothisprohibition.
ThepaperusedinthispublicationmeetstheminimumrequirementsoftheAmericanNationalStandardforInformationSciences–PermanenceofPaperforPrintedLibraryMaterials,ANSIZ39.48–1992.
ManufacturedinChinaLibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationDataSallis,John,[date]Lighttraces/JohnSallis;paintingsanddrawingsbyAlejandroA.Vallega.pagescm.–(StudiesinContinentalthought)ISBN978-0-253-01282-1(pbk.:alk.paper)–
ISBN978-0-253-01303-3(ebook)1.Place(Philosophy)2.Light.I.Vallega,AlejandroA.,illustrator.II.Title.
B105.P53S2452014113–dc23
2013034396
12345191817161514
Toliveistobeholdthelightofthesun.
Homer
Contents
Acknowledgments
Anagoge
1Clouds
2Caves
3ExorbitantPoints
4Poseidon
5Blues
6CityofLights
7Time’sShadows
8TheLightSpreadofTime
9Heights
10SummerSnow
11DarkLight
12AtSea
13Seacoves
14Sunspots
15VisibleTime
16Wild
17Quiet
18White
AcknowledgmentsWearegratefultoSarahGrewforhergenerosityin
providingthephotographicimagesandtoNancyFedrowforherassistanceinpreparingthemanuscript.Wewant
especiallytothankourfriendandeditorDeeMortensenfortheencouragement
andadviceshehassogenerouslyofferedusduringourcollaborationonthisproject.ThanksalsotoSeanDriscollforeditorial
assistance.
J.S.A.V.
Anagoge
Thereturnoflightinspringbringsjoyandhopetolivingthings.Forinonewayoranotherlightgovernsvirtuallyeverythingofconcerntothem.Itmakesvisiblethethingsaroundthem;itletsthepresenceofthingsandofnaturalelementsbesensedinthemostdisclosivemanner;andtherebyitclearsthespacewithinwhichthingscanbemostsensiblyencounteredandelementssuchasearthandskycanberevealedintheirgiganticexpanse.Thecomingandgoingofnaturallightalsogivesthemeasureoftime,comingtobestowtheday,retreatingtogivewaytonight.Lightalsomeasuresouttheseasons,notonlybyitsintensityasthesunappearshigherorlowerinthesky,butalsobyvariationsthatarenotreadilyexpressibleintraditionalcategories:aswiththecrystal-clearsunlightofcertain
winterdayswhenthescatteredcloudsappearinsharpestcontouragainstaskysobluethatitexceedsallthatcanbesaidinthewordblue.
Withthenewlightthatmarksthearrivalofspringandthatbringswithitthepromiseofwarmth,thethreatsofwinterrecede.Freshgrowthappears,firstaslittlemorethanafinegreenhazeandthenindelicateformsthatattesttothefecundityofnature,stillheldinstorebutportendedbytheselighttraces.Nowabundantvitalityisdisplayedbyallanimatecreatures.Wehumans,too,welcomethearrivalofspring,notonlyinourordinaryactionsbutalsoinexceptionaleventssuchasritesandfestivals.FortheancientAtheniansfestivalsweresodecisiveinmarkingnotonlythearrivalofseasonsbutallthemonthsoftheirlunarcalendarthateachmonthliterallyborethenameofthechieffestivalcelebratedwithinitstime-span.
Yetasitreturns,lightremainscuriouslyinconspicuous,evenmoresothanthenaturalfinerythatitsreturnwilleventuallyreleasefromthethingswithwhichnaturesurroundsus.Forquitesometimeafterthewintersolstice,wearescarcelyawareoftheincreasingdaylight;anditmayhappenalmostsuddenly,severalweekslater,thatwenoticethelengtheningoftheday.Itisasiftheluminousgenerositywereeffectedbystealth.
Lightisalsoinconspicuousinanotherway,inawaythatisitselfinconspicuous,hardlynoticedatall.
Pictureasceneintheforestwheresunlightisshiningthroughthebranchesontothegroundbelow.Therewillbeareasthatarebrightlyilluminated,othersthatareshaded,and,asaresult,aconfigurationoflightandshadowontheforestfloor.Therewillalsobevisibleilluminationonsomeofthebranchesabove.Yetinthespacebetweenthelowestbranchesandtheforestfloor,noilluminationwillbevisible.Thoughlightmusttraversethisspaceinordertoilluminatethegroundbelow,itremainsentirelyinvisible.Onlyifthespacecontainsparticlesofdustorabitofmistorfog–thatis,thingstobeilluminated–doestherayoflightbecomevisible.Evenontheforestfloorwhatweactuallyseeisnotthelightitselfbutthegroundilluminatedbythelight.Thelightitself,whichbestowsonthingstheirvisibility,remainstothisextentinvisible.Itgoesunseen,andyetinconnectionwithwhatisseen,itdisplaysatracethatisindicativeofitseffect,ofitsbeingoperativethereatthesiteofthevisible.Unlikeanimage,inwhichanaspectofsomevisiblethingispresented,atracedoesnotpresentanything;itis,rather,thatbywhichsomethingotherwiseconcealed,somethingirreducibletoathingthatispresent,signalsthatitisnonethelessoperativethereintheverythickofvisiblethings.
Oflightthereare,then,onlytraces.Toturntothelightistoattendtolight
Oflightthereare,then,onlytraces.Toturntothelightistoattendtolighttraces.
Inmostinstancesitisalsototurnone’sgazeupwardtowardtheprimarysourceoflight.Accordingly,theturntothelightislinkedtothepreeminenceofthesky,toouraffinitywiththeheights,andtotheprospectofascendancy.Inalltheseinclinationsthedirectiveisgivenbylighttraces.Itislightthattracestheupwardway,thatevokestheaspirationforflight,which,invariousmetaphoricalregisters,movesusatthemostelementallevel.Nothinghumangoesuntouchedbythisaspiration;nothingisimmunetothemeasureoftheupwardway,neithertoitspromisenortoitsperil.
Tracesarenecessarilylight.Theyare,likelightitself,freeoftheweightofthingsmateriallypresent.Evenwhentheyaredrawnorinscribedandthustransposedintoaminimallypresentdouble,theyretainmuchoftheirlightness.Thetrianglethatisdrawninordertofacilitateintuitionmustineffecteraseitselfinthecourseofthedemonstrationitserves.Foritisnotreallyanimageorpicturethroughwhichthetriangleitselfwouldbepresented.Formedbylinesthatarewithoutwidthandhence,strictlyconsidered,areinvisible,atriangleisitselfinvisible;andadrawingcanbenothingmorethanatraceservingtobringthefiguretolight.
Words,too,especiallywhentheirsayingismostforceful,ceasetobemereimagesofthethingstowhichtheyreferandofthemeaningstheyexpress.Aboveandbeyondmerelysignifying,theycometotrace,eversolightly,thecontoursandweavingsofundividedsense.Theendlessaporiasthatresultfromthefailuretograntthisexcessbelongingtospeechwereindeedalreadycatalogued,incomicalfashion,inanancientdialoguenamedforonewhoisreputedfinallytohavegivenupspeakingentirelyandonlytohaveresortedtothemerestgestures.
Yetwhatisperhapsmostremarkableisthewayinwhichtheartistcanlettracessuchasthoseoflightbecomevisiblewithoutviolatingtheircharacterastraces.Suchisthegiftoftheartist:toletthetracepresentitselfthroughtheimage,torendertheinvisiblevisibleinawaythat,atonce,preservesitsinvisibility.
Sincethecycleoflight’scomingandgoingdefinesthecourseoftheyear,thesetexts,designedaslightinscriptions,alsofollowthiscourse;but,liketheancientRomancalendar,theyproceedfromthetimeofthelight’sreturninspringtothat
ofitsretreatinthedepthofwinter.Yetlight’scomingsandgoingsleavedifferenttraces,dependingontheterrainwheretheyaredrawn.OnaPacificislandoranAegeansite,inacapitalcityorhighintheAlps,attheseaorintheforest–ineachplacethetracesnotonlyaredifferentbutalsoservetodiscloseinmultiple,incomparablewaystheworkingsoflightandthemeasuringoutoftime.Toinscribesuchelementalinterweavingsofluminosity,time,andplaceistheintentofthefollowingseriesoflighttraces.
Theimagesinthisvolumearenotmeantasillustrationsofthetext;theywerespeciallyconceivedasgraphicarticulationsoflight,anotherlanguage,meanttoenterintodialoguewiththetext.Also,thedrawingsandpaintingsarenotrepresentationsoflight.Thelighttracesoccurintheplayofline,color,chiaroscuro,textures,andmaterials.
1
Clouds
OahuHawai‘i
March
Cloudsarelittlemorethantracesoflight.Onsunnydayswhenonlyafewarescatteredaboutthesky,thecloudsappeartoamplifythelight,allthemoresoiftheyareofthewhite,voluminoussort.Becausetheyarehardlydistinguishablefromthelight,itisasiftheybestowedtheirwhitenessonthepurelywhite,butinvisible,lightitself,bythismeansendowingitwithperceptibleform,renderingitvisible.Atdawnandduskandalsowhenconfiguredincertainways,theycangivethelightavarietyofshades,lettingitreflectthecolorsassumedbytherisingorsettingsun.Thesebrilliantcolorsmay,inturn,bereflectedacrossthesurfaceofthesea,endowingtheseawithcolorsquiteotherthanitsown,colorsthatitwillretainforsometimeevenafterthesunhassunkbelowthehorizonorrisentotheheightatwhichitbecomestheclear,daytimesun.
risentotheheightatwhichitbecomestheclear,daytimesun.Cloudsareamongthelightestoftracesbecausetheyareinsubstantial;
thoughnotquiteimmaterial,theyareperfectsemblancesofimmateriality.Theycanfilltheotherwiseinvisibleairwithvisibilitywhilesimultaneouslyconcealingmoresubstantialthings.Whensurroundedbylow-lyingcloudsinthemountains,wewitnesssuchanexchangebetweenthevisibleandtheinvisible:themassivestonefaceoftheadjacentmountainrecedesfromviewwhilethesurroundingspacegarnersanopaquevisibility.Walkingfreely,ifsomewhatblindly,acrosssuchasite,passingthroughpatchesofunsubstantialcloudwithoutencounteringtheslightestresistance,weobservethat,whileitobscuresthesourceoflight,thecloudrendersthelightvisible;itprovidesavisibletraceunlikeanytobeseeninthepurelytransparentairofacloudlessday.
Cloudscangatherorobstructlightinsuchawayastobeportentous.Darkcloudsmaygatherinthedistanceinamannerthatannouncesunmistakablytheimminentarrivalofathunderstormandthuspromptsaninterruptionoftheeverydaycourseofthingsaslivingcreatures,ourselvesincluded,seekshelter.Atothertimesitmayhappenthatthecloudcoverthatremainsevenaftertheheavyrainhasendedfinallybeginstobreakup,thecloudsgraduallydispersingsoastoletsunlightreappearandthustoannouncethereturnoffairconditions.Insuchhappeningsthelighttracesproducedthroughtheinteractionsofsunlightandcloudsareindicative;theyannouncesomethingtocome,yettheydosoinawaythatdiffersutterlyfromthewayinwhichwordssignify.Tosuchnaturalindicationsevenanimatebeingsbereftoflanguagearesensitive.Ontheotherhand,thosewithspeechhaveneverceasedbeingtemptedtosupposethatspeechissustainedbysuchnaturalindications,thatdespitetheconventionalityanddiversityoflanguages,thereisa–perhapsconcealed–affinitybetweenwordsandthings.Itisasiftherebelongedtospeech–ortothebearingofthosewhospeak–anaspirationtonaturalspeech,toaspeechthatwouldindicatethingsbynature.
Thedayhadinfactbeenalmostcloudlessuntilmidafternoon.Butthen,darkraincloudsblewinovertheisland.Theblackestofthemgraduallydescendeduntil,likeathickveil,itentirelyenshroudedthelowmountainthatlayjustdownthebeachfromthecoveringwhereItookshelter.Finally,whentheblackcloudhadreachedtheground,itwasasifthemountainhadentirelyvanishedwithoutleavingtheslightesttrace.Theconcealmentwassocompletethatitwasitself
leavingtheslightesttrace.Theconcealmentwassocompletethatitwasitselfconcealed.Soconcealedwastheconcealmentthat,hadInotalreadyknownofitspresence,Iwouldnothavehadeventheslightestsuspicionthatthemountainwasthere.
Thecloudsprovedtobemuchmorethreateningthanwhattheyportended.Onlyafewlargeraindropsfell,andthen,verysoon,thefirstsignofclearingappeared.
Faroutatseathesunbrokethroughtheclouds,andtherealongastretchofthehorizon–indeedformingastretchofthehorizon–wasabroadbandofpurelightshiningwithsuchintensitythatIcouldnotbutturnmyeyesawayafterjustamoment.Itwasasifthecloudshadreleasedthelightand,becausetheywerethemselvessodark,hadendoweditwiththemostextremeluminosity,callingontheseatomirrorthelight,tolettheintenselightbetraced.Thereonthesurfaceofthesea,atthehorizon,itshonesobrilliantly,withsuchintensity,thatitborderedonbeinginvisible–almostasthesun,becauseofthebrillianceofitsshining,resistsdirectvision,offeringonlyaglance.
Afterawhilethebandoflightbegantofadeabit,thoughstillclingingtothehorizon.Eventuallyother,lessbrilliantspotsbegantoappearonthewaterasthesunbrokemoreandmorethroughtheclouds.Theentirescenebegantosettlebackintoitsusual,everydayappearance.YetIcontinuedtomarvelatwhatIhadobserved:howthebrilliantlighttraceatthehorizonhadpolarizedandindeedtransformedtheentirescenesosuddenlyandyetsobriefly.Noteventhesightfromtheplaneat38,000feet–asIjourneyedonwardthefollowingday–thesightofthevastfieldofvoluminousclouds,manifestlyinsubstantialasnonethelesstheygatheredthelight,couldrivaltheexchangeIhadwitnessedbetweenthedarkclouds,theopensea,andthebrilliantlight.
Untitled(Oilandpencilonpaper),18×24in.
2
Caves
Kaua‘iHawai‘i
April
Thereareoppositesthataresaidandoppositesthatareseen.Whenoppositesthathavebeensaidcometobeseen,theyinevitablyprovetobelessopposedthantheyweresaidtobe.Theskyaboveisnomereoppositeoftheearthbelow;rather,theyarealsoboundtogether,encompassingthespaceinwhichnearlyeverythingofconcerntohumansappears.Dayandnight,determinedprimarilybythepresenceorabsenceofsunlight,notonlyareboundbytheirsequentialoccurrencebutalsodisplay,eachinitsownway,acertainplayoflight.Nomatterhowbrilliantlyilluminateditmaybe,nodaytimesceneistotallywithoutitsshadows.Onlyrarely,ifever,isthenightcompletelydark;andeventhen,lightcanalwaysbekindled.
Soitis,also,withtherelationbetweentheopenair,whichcanbefilledwithradiantsunlight,andthedarksea,whichkeepsitsdepthswithdrawnfromthelight.Soitis,toagreaterdegree,withtherelationoftheopenairtothecompact,closed-offearth.Inwhateverwaystheymaybeboundtogether,nothingbothconjoinsanddistinguishesthemmoredecisivelythantheirpeculiarreceptionoflight.Wherevereitherextendsintotheother,thereisasitethatdisplaysthereceptionandplayoflightinanexemplaryway.
BothkindsofsitescanbeseenonKaua‘i.Offtheeastcoastoftheisland,notfarfromshore,adome-shapedmassofrockprotrudesintotheopenair.Despiteitsdullearthencolor,itsharesinthebrilliantilluminationthatthetropicalsunspreadsovereverything.Yetitreceivesthesunlightonlyonitssurface,castingmuchofitback,attestinginthiswaytoitsearthencharacter,itsdensity,itsclosedness.Inthismanneritissetentirelyapartfromthesurroundingsea,whichtosomeextentadmitsthesunlight,lettingitpenetratethesurfaceanddisplayingitintheexpanseofdeep,richblueness.
Caves,ontheotherhand,extendfromtheopenairintotheearth,penetratingintotheinteriorofthehillormountaininwhichtheyareset.Theyviolatetheseal,openingthedense,spacelessinterior,carvingoutaspace,avoidwithinthesolidrock.Cavesopenouttheinteriorsoastomakevisiblewhatwouldotherwiseneverbeseen,couldindeednotbeseen.Onlyincavesdoesonegetaglimpseoftheotherwiseinvisibleinteriorofahillormountain.
OnthewildnortherncoastofKaua‘itherearetwoveryremarkablecaves.Theareainwhichtheyaresituatedresemblesarainforest,instarkcontrasttothesun-drenched,palmtree–studdedbeachesonthesoutherncoast.Inthisareatheterrainisrough.Justpastthecavestheroadswingsouttoasmallbeach(Ke’eBeach)whereitcomesabruptlytoanend;beyondthatpoint,formanymilesaroundtheNapaliCoast,whichformsthenorthwestcorneroftheisland,thereareonlysteepmountainsidesplungingdownwardtothesea.
ThecavenearesttheendoftheroadistheWaikanaloaWetCave.Advancingdownaslightincline,onecomestotheopeningofthecave.Thereattheopeningonelooksoutacrossablackpoolthatstretchesonintothecave.Inthedimlightsomefiftyfeetorsointothecave,awallofstonecanbeseenextendingacrossthebreadthofthecave;there,barelydiscernible,thewaterbranchesoffinalmostoppositedirections.Yetitisnotthedarkinteriorofthecavethatismostremarkablebutratherthemoreopenareanearthemouth.Onecouldreadily
remarkablebutratherthemoreopenareanearthemouth.Onecouldreadilyimaginethatsomeancientgiantortitanhadrippedopenthishuge,gapingholeinthesideofthemountain.Heretherearenosmooth,polishedstonesurfacesbutonlysharp,pointedshards,protrusionsofstonethatattesttotheverystoninessofthemountain.Thesiteisonewherethemountainshowswhatitis,whereitmakesmanifestthatitsinteriorisjustthesamestoneasitssurface.Yethereneartheopeningthesharp,protrudingstoneassumesakindofprotoformandinthiswayobtrudesinitsstonypresence,eventhoughformiswhatearthinitselementalcharacterlacksalmostentirely.
Theothercave,theManinholoDryCave,isquitedifferent.Itisalmostrectangularinshape,itssidescurvingonlyslightly.Itsheightisasifproportionedtotheheightofhumans,onlyafewfeethigher.Onenteringit,onecouldreadilyimaginethatoneiswalkingintoalargehall.Thoughnaturallythelightgrowsdimmerasoneproceedstowardthebackwall,itremainssufficientforseeingclearlyeventhebackwallandforascertainingthatthecavehasnofurtherextensionsbeyonditsrectangularspace.Yetwhatisgenuinelyastonishingisthesightonebeholdswhen,havingwalkedalmosttothebackwallofthecave,onesuddenlyturnsaroundandlooksbackattheentrance.Whatcanthenbeseenjustoutsidethecaveappearsframed,almostlikeapicture,bythecontouroftheopening;and,withinthisframe,itappearswitharemarkable,starkbrilliance,quitedifferentfromtheappearancewhenseenfromtheentrance.Thewithdrawalofvision,theretreatintothedimlightofthecave,hastheeffectofenhancingtheappearingofthings,ofbringingthemtoshinemoreluminously.
Comingtoseethingsintheirmostradiantshiningmaywellrequire,forhumans,retreatingalsointotheobscurityofsomethinglikeacave,especiallyif,forus,darknessalwaysbelongsalsowiththelightthatbringsillumination.Sinceindeedwecannomoreseeinpurelightthaninpuredarkness,itislittlewonderthattheimageofacavehasacquiredsuchmetaphoricalvaluethattheverycourseprescribedforhumansisboundtothisrepresentation.Andyet,neitherretreatnorescapesufficesalonefortheilluminationtowhichhumansaredisposed.Itisrequiredalso,astheancientimageattests,thatweturntothelight.
SpringI(Oilandpencilonpaper),18×24in.
SpringII(Oilandpencilonpaper),18×24in.
3
ExorbitantPoints
NearPatrasPeloponnisos
May
Thoughbroaderthanagreatriver,theBayofCorinthflowsgently,asifitwereavastlakewithnoopeningontothesea.ItsetsthePeloponnisosapartfromtherestofGreece.Indeed,togetherwiththeSaronicBay,itdividestheentirecountryintotwoparts,bridgedonlybytheisthmusrunningfromCorinthacrossintoAttica.BorderedontheeastbytheisthmusandthecityofCorinth,itextendswestwardandslightlytothenorthuntil,asitapproachesPatras,itreachesitsnarrowestpoint.Thisisthepointwheretodayanultramodernbridgehasbeenerectedacrossthebay,atechnicalcounterparttothenaturalbridgeattheotherendofthebay.AsAthenianhoplitesoncemarchedtobattleacrosstheisthmus,nowontheotherbridgeautomobilescrossswiftlyfromonesidetotheother.AsthebayextendsonpastPatras,itbroadensoutagainandsoonheads
other.AsthebayextendsonpastPatras,itbroadensoutagainandsoonheadsfortheopenseathatseparatesthePeloponnisosfromtheislandsofKephaloniaandIthaca.BeyondtheislandsliestheIonianSea.
IfonelooksacrossthebayfromthePeloponnisianside,onesoondiscoversthatthebroadsweepofthespectacledisplaysbothlineationandpunctuation.Thesefeaturesarealliedwiththeattractivepowerbywhichtheaquaticsurfacegathersarounditselftheentirescene,composingthelandscape,whileatthesametimecollecting,intensifying,reflecting,andspreadingthesunlightthatbathesthescene.Openingtothelight,visionretracesthelinesdrawnbynatureacrossthesceneandremarkstheirpointsofintersection.
Thesceneleavesitstracesonallthesenses,notjustindividuallybutinsuchawaythateachsensecrossesovertotheothers,effacingtheirdifference.Visionispairedwithlistening;theyflowtogethertosuchanextentthatthesightofthewater’sexpansivesurfacebecomesalmostindistinguishablefromtherecurrentsoundofthewavesgentlylappingontothebeach.Inturn,thesoundofthewavesastheybreakalongtheshorelineintermingleswiththesightoftheoccasionalwhitecap.Thefreshscentoftheseaairandthefeelofthelightbreezewaftingfromthewater,perhapsevenanimaginedsenseofthebrinytasteofthewater–allthatthesensesofferisgatheredasintoasingle,yetmanifoldperception,asifpointingbacktowardasenseanteriortothesenses.
Offtotheleftwhere,beyondPatras,thebaybroadensoutagainandheadswestwardtowardtheopensea,nolandcanbeseen.Thesurfaceofthewaterstretchesonandon,asifitwereakindofpalpable,sensuousinfinite,limitedonlybythehorizon.Thoughthehorizonappearsasalineseparating,whilealsojoining,seaandsky,itsappearancecouldnotbemoreparadoxical,morecountertotheusualcategoriesandoppositionsbywhichappearancesinnatureareproportionedtoourunderstanding.Theappearanceofthehorizonisneitheramereillusionofsomethingsimplynottherenorarevelationofsomethingactuallypresentinorbehindtheappearance.Thehorizonisnotevenpresentinthemannercharacteristicofelementssuchastheseaandtheearth.Rather,itappearssolelyasalimit,indeedasalimitthatneveractuallylimits,thatneversetsalimitinplace;for,ifapproached,itrecedes,anditresiststotheendbeingtransformedfromamerelimitintosomethingthatlimits.Aslongaslanddoesnotcomeintoviewthereinthedistancesoastosetalimit,thehorizonletsthepeculiarinfinityofthesearemainintact.
Yetlanddoescomeintoviewifoneturnsone’sglancebackslightlytotheright,stillfacinginthegeneraldirectionoftheopensea.Itisathinstripoflandrunningalongthehorizon,expandingthelineintoanarrowband.Stillfartherto
runningalongthehorizon,expandingthelineintoanarrowband.Stillfarthertotheright,almostdirectlyacrossthebay,amountainofbarestoneprotrudesabruptlyfromthesea,risingalmostverticallytonearlyhalfitsfullheightbeforebeginningtocurvebackinthedirectionofthehorizontal;thusthetopofthemountainisroundedoff,anditsoutlinebecomesalmostsymmetrical.
Itisasifthescenehadbeenstaged,fabricatedbysomemonstroustechnology,ratherthancomposedbynature.Inthescenethereisnothingmoreremarkablethanthesingularpointtowhichthethinstripoflandtotheleftdirectsourvisionlikeanarrowdrawnacrossthewaterinthedirectionofthispoint.Atthispointearth,sea,andskymeet.Herethereisaconfluenceoftheseelements,notasinathunderstormwhererain,wind,thunder,andlightningaremixedtogether,butratherinsuchawaythateachelementremainsdistinctandretainsitsowncharacter,while,nonetheless,comingtogetherwiththeothersatthispoint.Thepurediurnalskydisplaysanarrowbandofwispycloudsjustabovethehorizon,renderingallthemoreconspicuousthisparadoxicallinewheretheskymeetsthesea.Thesurfaceoftheseaistexturedbyitsgentlepurling;theripplesspreadacrossitsexpanse,endowingthewindwithvisibility,translatingitsinvisibleflowintoavisiblepatterning;theirspreadalsolaysoutanimageoftimeitself,which,atleastsinceantiquity,hasneverceasedbeingrepresentedbytheflowofnaturalwaters.Preciselyatthepointwherethestoneeruptsfromthesea,alltheseelementscometogether,whiletheirdifferencesremain:theabsolutelyimmobilesky,texturedbyclouds,punctuatedbytheverysourceoflight;theseawithitsgentleflowanditsspreadofripples;thewindtowhichthisspreadgivesvisibletestimony;thesheer,unyieldingstoneofthemountain,theearthjuttingupskyward,itscontourtracedagainstthesky.Inasenseitisasimplevision,avisionthat,gatheringtheelements,comestofocusonthissingularpoint,letsthembegatheredaroundit.Thevisionispreeminentlyelemental,avisionforwhichwhatcomestolightaretheelementsandnotmerethings.Yetalso,itisavisioninwhich,drawnintothedistance,visionnowleapsbeyonditscominglingwiththeothersenses,reassertingitssuperiorityasthesenseofdistance.
IhadcometoPatrastospeakabouttheexorbitant,aboutwhatliesoutsidetheorbitinwhichourusualthinkingaboutnaturecirculates.Nothingcouldhavedisplayedtheexorbitantlogicoftheelementsmorepowerfullythanthisspectacleoftheirgathering.WhatseemedmostremarkablewasthatIhadcome
uponthisdisplayoftheexorbitantpreciselyinGreece.ForitisfromGreekthoughtthatourusualthinkingaboutnaturedrawsnearlyallitsresourcesandindeeditsveryboundsandmeasure.Thedisplayofnatureexceedingsuchboundsandmeasurecouldnot,then,butpromptanintimationofamoredecisive,indeedexorbitantthinkingthatwasnotalientotheGreeks.
4
Poseidon
SounionAttica
May
Itsplaceisother,utterlyso.Itsremotenessissounyieldingthatanyattempttomeasureitsdistancefromanythingfamiliarcouldonlyhavetheeffectofsettingitstillmoreinsistentlyapart.Yetpreciselyasaplaceofsuchalterity,thissiteismostimpressivetobeholdinitssheerpresence.Perfectlyframedbyseaandsky,asifraisedbytheearthitselfupoutoftheintenselybluesurfaceoftheAegean,thesitebelongsuniquelytotheseelements.Eveninantiquity,indeedevenbeforethemagnificenttemplewaserectedthere,travelersofmanysortswereattracted.Today,instillgreaternumbers,touristscomewithcamerasinhandtohavealookatthisremarkablesiteandtocaptureitsimage.Yetthedistractionisnomorethanmomentary.Assoonasoneisagainaloneinwhatremainsofthesacredprecinct,fromthemomentwhensolitudereturnsandthereisleftonly
sacredprecinct,fromthemomentwhensolitudereturnsandthereisleftonlythesestonesshiningthereamidsttheelements,theutterstrangenessofthesiteisagainannouncedinthesilencethatsurrounds.
Whatremainsatthissitecomesfromanotherworld,fromwhatwecall–alreadybeginningtomediate,tobreakdownthedifference–Greekantiquity.Yet,preciselyinitsotherness,thisworldistheoriginoforigins,theabsolutelyarchaic.Itfirstreleasedallthatwastocome:thecourseofwhatcametoconstitutetheWest,andnowtheglobalfigureintowhichthoselineshaveextended.Itisanoriginthat,fromthebeginning,continuedtoanimatewhatithadreleased,coming,tothisextent,alwaysfromthefuture.Thusitsremotenessisirreducibletomerepastness;andevennow,inthewakeofclosure,itsummonsfrombeyond.Itisanoriginthuswithdrawnintobothpastandfuture,hencedoublyremotefromthepresent,sothattheremainsofitthatarenowstilltobeseen–asinthestonespreservedatthissite–cannotbutappearutterlystrange.Theplaceis,atonce,displaced,almostasintoavoid,andyetitissetfirmlyontheearth,shiningbeforeoureyesinthebrilliantGreeksunlight.Itsconjunctionofconsummatepresenceandstaunchremoteness,ofstarkmanifestnessandutterstrangeness,iscastinthelightitself,inthealmostblindingintensityofitsillumination.
Aportionofthewallthatoncesurroundedthesacredprecinctisstilltobeseen.Littleremains,however,ofthemarble-coveredpropylaeathroughwhichonewouldhaveenteredtheenclosure.Thelocationismarkedbyaninscription–recent,nodoubt–onaslabofmarble;buttheremainsaremeager,merelythreesectionsofacolumnandafewotherslabs.Aninscriptionalsomarksthelocationofthelargestoathatextendedlaterallyfromthepropylaea;buthere,too,verylittleremains,onlythestylobatesorbasesoffivecolumns.Evenasoneispresentattheveryspotwherethepropylaeaandthestoaoncestood,thevisibletracesthatremaincansustainonlyavagueimageofhowthesewouldhavelooked:thatthepropylaea,astheopeningtothetemple,wouldhavebeenespeciallymagnificentandthatthemarblesurfacesofbothstructureswouldhaveshinedluminously.
Atsuchasitewhereoneisfacedwithruins,whatiscalledforthisneverjustpurephantasy,notevenjustphantasysustainedbymemoryofimagespreviouslyseenoroffamiliardescriptions.Rather,ifoneisintentonenvisaging,totheextentpossible,whatoncestoodatthissite,thentheimaginingcalledforwillbesuchastocirculatebetweenthevisiblypresentruinsandanimageoftheancientstructure,hoveringbetweenthese,lettingeachinformtheother.
Butitisinfaceoftheruinsofthetempleitselfthatimaginationissustained
Butitisinfaceoftheruinsofthetempleitselfthatimaginationissustainedandhencesoars.Theseruinsareextensiveenoughandsufficientlywellpreservedthatfromthemalonemanyfeaturesofthetempleareevident.ThecolumnsdisplayitsDoricorder,andtheirconfigurationindicatesthatthetemplewasperipteral.Themajorityofthecolumnsalongthelongersidesofthetemplearestillstanding:nineonthemoreseaward,southernside,five(alongwithacoupleofsectionsofanother)ontheotherside.Themarble,whichcamefromnearbyquarries,ismorepurelywhitethanthatofmanyothersuchedifices(suchasthePentelicmarbleusedfortheParthenon);butthematerialisalsosofter,anditwaspresumablyinordertostrengthenthecolumnsthatthearchitectreducedtheflutingfromtheusualtwentytosixteen.Thedistinctiveradiancewithwhichthestonegivesbackthelightitreceivesisnotunrelatedtothesefeatures.
Ontopofthecolumns,runninghorizontally,aretheepistyles,rectangularblocksonwhichthesuperstructurewouldhaverested.Onthetwoshortersidesmuchlessremains.Ontheeasternside,whichwouldhaveformedtheentrancetothetemple,thereareonecolumn,thebaseofanother,andtwostacksofrectangularblocks,manyofthemalmostcubical.Thestacks,whicharethesameheightasthecolumns,areconnectedtocolumnsbyepistyles.Protrusionsfromthemtowardtheinteriorofthetempleindicatethatthesestacksofsquareblocksformtheextremityfromwhichthesolidinnerwallswouldhaveextended;thesearetheonlytracesoftheinnerwallsthatremain.Onthewesternsideofthetemple,nothingremainsstanding.
Theblocksthatformthebaseoftheedificearemostlyintact:thestylobates,ofcourse,onwhichthecolumnsrest,butalsomostofthosethatwouldhaveformedthefloorofthechambers.Theentiretempleiselevatedabovethesurroundinggrounds,mostconspicuouslysoonthelowersideoftheslopingground,wherethebaseisseveralmetershighandrequiresforeachverticalsectioneighttotenrectangularblocks.
ThepromontoryonwhichthetemplestandsliesattheextremityofthecapeofSounion,whichformsthesouthernmosttipofAttica.ThestrategicimportancethatthelocationhadforAthensledtoitsbeingfortifiedin413BC,shortlyafterthemagnificenttemplehadbeenerected(c.440BC)toreplaceaporousrocktemplethatafteronlyafewdecadeshadbeencompletelydestroyedbythePersians.ThisveryremarkablesiteismentionedalreadyintheOdyssey.InapassageintheThirdBook,OdysseusrelatesthatasheandMenelausweresailingbackfromTroythey“cametoholySounion,thecapeofAthens.”ThereMenelaus’steersmanPhrontiswasslainbyunseenarrowsofApollo.Topayfullhonortothismostexcellentofallmeninpilotingashipthroughstrongstorm
winds,MenelausinterruptedtheirjourneyatSounionandthereburiedhiscomrade.TwocenturiesbeforethegreatmarbletemplecametobeerectedonthepromontoryatSounion,severalmarblekouroiwereplacedthere,presumablyasvotiveofferingswhosepresencemightensurethatsailorspassingbywouldescapewhathadbefallenPhrontis.OnesuchKourosofSounion,quitewellpreserved,canbeseenintheNationalArchaeologicalMuseuminAthens.
Thetempleisplacedsoastooverlookthesea.Fromthenorthside,onelooksacrossaninlet;tothesouthandthewest,onelooksoutacrossopenseastretchingtothehorizon.Fromtheperimeterofthetemple,afewpacesinanyofthesedirectionsbringsonetotheprecipitousedgeofthesite.One’svisionplummetsalmoststraightdowntotherocksandtheseafarbelow.Neartheruggedshorethereareareaswherethewaterisalmostemeraldgreen;butasonelooksfartherout,itisconsistentlysuchadeepbluethat,atthehorizon,theskyappears,bycontrast,unusuallypale,almostwashed-out,bycontrast,inturn,withtheintensebluenessoftheskyoverhead.
Yetwhilethepresenceoftheseaiswhatmostdecisivelydeterminesthecharacterofthesite,thehistorybornebyitenlivensthatpresence.TheHomericpassagealonesufficestoshowthattheGreeksexperiencedthatpresence,notastotallyunreservedexposuretopanopticvision,butratherasharboringalsoadepthfromoutofwhichsomethingbarelydescribablecanunaccountablyappearandthenjustasunaccountably–thatis,mythically–vanish.Theveryidiomonwhichonemostreadilydrawscouldnotbemoreindicative:presencewasexperiencedasif,likethesea,itwithdrewintoitsdepthandasifthereweresecretinlets,harbors,wherethingscouldbehiddenaway.
Whatcouldbemoreappropriatethantheencompassingpresenceofthesea?ForwhatstandsthereisatempleofPoseidon,andPoseidonisgodofthesea.Butwhatdoesitmeanforatemple,anedificeconstructedbyhumans,tobelongtothegod?AndwhatdoesitmeantosaythatPoseidonisgodofthesea?WhatkindofcomportmenttothetempleandtotheseawouldbeappropriateforthefigurethattheGreekscalledPoseidon?HowisitthatwhatoncestoodatSounionoverlookingtheseaandstandstherestillinruinscanbecalledatempleofthegodofthesea?
Atthesitethereisnotonlytheintensepresenceoftheseabutalsoanelevationaboveit.Whileoverlookingthesea,thetemplestandsataheightbefittingagod.Itisasifraisedfromoutofthewine-darkseaintothebrilliantsunlightabove.There,farabovethesea,itscolumnsofpurelywhitemarble,outlinedagainsttheintenseblueofthediurnalsky,shinewithincomparableradiance.Thetemplelaysoutaplacewheretheelementscometoberanged
radiance.Thetemplelaysoutaplacewheretheelementscometoberangedalongside–andastheyruntogetherwith–oneanother.Itisasiteofconcurrenceoftheelements,ofearthandsky,sea,andlight.Itbringsintoproximitywhatseemtobesimplyopposites:themassivesolidityofstoneandearthandtheinsubstantialspreadofatmosphereandsky;theinvisibilityoflightitselfandtheradianceofthemarbleilluminatedbythelight.Astheverymediumofirreducibleelementaldifferences,itisitselfutterlyremotefromordinarythings;itissomethingquiteother,incomparablystrange.
Astheplacewheretheseelementscometogetherintheirverydifferences,thetempleisnotsimplyatempleofPoseidonbutspreadsarounditselfaprecincttowhichothergodstoomaydrawnear.Formanycenturiesitwasbelieved,onthebasisofanerroneousreportbyPausaniasinthesecondcenturyAD,thatthetempleatSounionwasdedicatedtoAthena.Infact,inantiquitytherewasatempleofAthenaatSounion;itstoodsomefivehundredmetersfromthetempleofPoseidon,onalowerhill,andisbelievedtohavebeentheolderofthetwoedifices.Todayitispreservedonlyasafewblocksofmarbleoutliningtherectangularshapeofthetemple.YetnotonlyAthena,patrongoddessofthegreatmaritimecity,butalsoothersoftheimmortalstoowerevitallylinkedtotheseaandeven,insomecases,astheHomericpassageshowsregardingApollo,totheseagatheredaroundthepromontoryatSounion.Consideringalso,however,thecomplexidentityofApolloandespeciallyhisconnectionwithlightandthesun,thispassageserves,inaddition,toindicatethatthesiteofthetempleisdistinctivelyrelatednotonlytotheseabuttotheelementsatlarge.
Yetthegreattemple,erectedonthehighestplotofgroundintheentireregion,hasauniquerelationtoPoseidon;andasatempleofPoseidonitscharacterispreeminentlydeterminedbythesea,preciselyasitissethighaboveontherockypromontory.ItisknownthatasculptedfigureofPoseidononcestoodinthesekos,themiddlechamberofthetemple,thoughtodaynotraceofitremains.Fortheancientssuchsculptedfigureswerenotmererepresentationsofthegods,notmerecopiesorimagesshowinghowthegodslooked,displayingtheirappearance,compensatingtherebyfortheincapacityofhumansforactuallybeholdingthealltooelusivegods.Rather,thesculptedfigureservedforenactingtheplacementofthegodinthetemple,hisbeingofferedthetempleasaplacewherehewasinvitedtoenterandwhere,nowandthen,inhisownelusivemanner,hemightreside.Justasthemagnificentelevatedsitepaidhonortothegod,sotheprecipitousdroptotherocksandseabelowdisplayedatthisverysitethedestructivenessthatPoseidonwithhistridentcouldunleash.Throughtheinstallingofthesculptedfigureinthetempleerectedtohouseit,thegodwas
invitedtobepresentinthetemple,wasofferedthispresenceinthehope,nodoubt,thathisgraciousnessratherthanhisdestructivenesswouldprevail.Inthissensethesculptedfigurewasnothingotherthanthegodhimself,hisverywayofbeingpresentinthetemple.
Butwhat,then,aboutthesea?Howisitthatthegodwhocouldcometobepresentinthetempleremained,evenwhenpresentthere,thegodofthesea?WhatdoesPoseidon–astheancientsexperiencedhispresence–havetodowiththesea?
ItdoesnotsufficetosaythatPoseidoninhabitstheseaandreignstherelikeaking.Forinthiscasetherewouldbenoneedformortalstobuildahabitationforthegod;thetempleanditssacredprecinctwouldbeentirelysuperfluous.Also,whereasforakingitisessentialthathebebeheldinallhisgloriouspresence,Poseidonis,likeallgods,perpetuallyelusive,hardlytobeseenatallandoften,ifseen,seenonlyinsomedisguiseorother.Nonetheless,mortalsmustsomehowhavecaughtsightofhimevenifonlyinafleetingmoment;otherwisetheywoulderectnotempleintowhichtoinvitethegodandinwhichtocelebratehispresence.Where,then,willthegodhavebeencaughtsightof?Wherewillshort-sightedmortalshavecaughtaglimpseofPoseidon?Wherewilltheirfleetingglancehavechanceduponthetransientpresenceofthegod?Thereisnootherplacethanthesea.Poseidonisgodofthesea,notbecausehewouldreignthereasthegodlyanalogueofaking,butratherbecausetheseaistheplaceofhisevanescentpresence,theplacewhere,onrareoccasions,heletshumanscatchsightofhim.Theseaishiselement:notonlyanelement,somethingelementalindistinctionfrommerethings,buthiselement,theelementinwhichheremainsevenashecomestobepresentinthetemple.Poseidonbelongstothedepthofthesea,notjustdepthasopposedtosurface,butdepthinthesenseofhiddenretreat,ofwithdrawalintotheutterlyindefinite.Thereinhiselementthegodremainsunexposedtomortaleyes,withholdsalloffersofpresence.Andyet,fromoutofhiselement,fromoutofthedepthofthesea,thegodcanunaccountablyandfugitivelyappear.ItisinsuchfleetingappearancethattheGreeksexperiencedthemostpurelymythical.
Becausetheseaishiselement,hisappearance–fleetingthoughitbe–cangiveoneaglimpseofthetruecharacterofthesea.Inthegod,inthedeedsthatthepoetsrevereashis,thereisconcentratedthegraciousnessandthedestructivenessthatbelongtothethalassicelement,thatareboundtogetherinitselementalcharacter.Whilewelcomingthegodintothetempleandcelebratinghispresencetheremaycalmthedisquietingelement,theseenactmentsneversimplysupersedetheglimpseintothedepth;neitherdotheysilencethepoets’
simplysupersedetheglimpseintothedepth;neitherdotheysilencethepoets’songsofthegod’sdeeds,but,onthecontrary,theyevoke,amplifythem.
Thoughthetempleissetoverlookingthesea,itsheightabovetheseaissuchthatthegodcanenteritonlybycomingforthfromthedepth,yetwithouteverabandoninghiselement.Comingtopresenceinthedarkenedinteriorofthebrilliantlyilluminatedtemple,thegod,glimpsedfleetingly,grantstomortalsamomentaryvisionofotherelementsintheirmanifoldconcurrenceswiththesea.
Suchglimpses,suchvisions,weregranted–sotheyattest–totheGreeks.Andyet,now,onewillsay,theGreekgods–perhapsallgods–aredead.To
whatevervisionsmayhavebeengrantedtotheancients,wetoday,soitseems,canonlyremainblind.
Andyet–There,atthatsite,wondermaybeevoked,wonderwhether,inthepresence
ofwhatremainsofthetemple,onecanexperienceonlytheabsenceofthegod,onlytheruinofeverythingoncesacred.Orwhether,inenvisioningthegreattemplethatoncestoodoverlookingtheseaatSounion,inengagingoneselfimaginativelysoastoletthetempletakeformfromthetracesthatremainthere,onecanagainexperiencetheabsolutelyarchaic.Asthetempleagaintakesshape–ifnowimaginatively–risingfromtheruinsattheverysitewhereitoncestoodoverlookingtheseaandwelcomingthebrilliantGreeksunlight,canonesensethefleetingappearanceofanoriginoforiginssilentlysummoningfrombeyondwhatseemsonlyclosure?
Poseidon(Oilandpencilonpaper),18×24in.
5
Blues
SounionAttica
May
Standingatopthehighpromontorythatjutsoutintothewater,itisalmostasifonewereatseacompletelyoutofsightofland.Thereattheedgeoftheprecipice,littleornothingcanbeseenoftherockyearth;undertheintenselightofthecloudlessday,virtuallyallthatisvisibleistheskyandthesea.TheAegeanstretchesbeyondtothehorizon,whichboundsthevisiblewhileremainingitselfinvisible;orrather,itappearsonlyasthelinethatcouldbe–butisnot–drawnwheretheblueoftheseameetsthelighterblueofthesky.Itisaradiantworld,prodigiousinitstransparencyandsimplicity,offeringaconsummatevisionofthejoiningofair,sky,andsea.Thevisionisentirelycastinblue,withonlyminimalarticulation.Nothingistobeseenthatisnotblue;nothingistobeseenbutblue.Whileofferingavisionoftheconcurrentelements,thevisionisofblueassuch,ofbluenessitself.
elements,thevisionisofblueassuch,ofbluenessitself.Yetitwillbesaidthattherecanbenovisionofsheerblue,ofblueassuch,
thatbluenessitselfcanneverbemanifesttoourvisualsense.Itwillbesaidthatwhatcanbeseenisneversimplyblueandnothingelse,thatinourexperiencewenevercatchsightofabluethatisnothingotherthanblue,ofabluethatisonlyblue,onlyitself.Thebelief–anage-oldbelief–isthatsuchself-same,self-enfoldedbeingscanonlybesaid,notseen.Whenwespeakofbluenessitselforevenwhenwemerelythinkofitwithoutactuallyvoicingthewordsthatdesignateit,itisthensomehowpresenttous,asifevokedbyourwordsorthoughts.Andyet,itspresenceisquiteunlikethatofwhatweseearoundus,ofthebluebirdweseewingingitswaythroughtheairtolightonalimbofanearbytreeandsingitsheartout.Bluenessitselfdisplaysneithermovementnorsonority.Itspresence–ifitcanindeedbepresentinasensethatdoesnotviolatethesenseoftheword–isofanentirelydifferentkind,aninvisiblepresencethatis,atonce,bothdistant,initsinvisibility,andnear,initsresponsivenesstoourevocationofitinspeechorthought.Nothingismoreenigmatic:ascoloritisaparagonofvisibility,andyetitiswhollyinvisible.
Couldthisinvisiblebluenesseverbeevokedwithoutanyreferencetothebluethatweactuallyseearoundus?Ifitiswhollyinvisible,howcouldthereeverariseanyassurancethatitpertainstotheradiantbluethatwebeholdaroundus?Insomemannerorother,thisstrange,invisiblepresencemustbedeflectedbacktowardthevisibilitythatwouldgovernitsverybearing;itmustsomehowbebentbackinthedirectionoftheblueofsea,ofsky,ofthings,theverysenseofwhichitisallegedtoexpress.
Isitnot,then,thereamidstthevisiblethatblueispreeminentlytobefound?Isitnotindeedstartingfromthevisiblethatwecancometospeakofwhatisblueandthustoevokethisstrangeinvisibledoubleofwhatispreeminentlyvisible,thisunseenspectreoftheverytissueofvisibility?Thoughthewordmayregulatetherangeofwhatiscalledblue,whatgivessense(ineverysense)tothewordispreeminentlythevisionofthebluethatsurroundsus.Yetbecausethewordmustbegivenitssense,whatitdesignatesissetapartfromwhatonewouldliketocall–butcannotsimplycall–bluenessitself.Becauseitreceivesitssenseratherthanbearingitinitself,whatitsignifiesmustbedifferentiatedfromthebluethatshineswithinavisiblespectacle.Thebluethatissaidneversimplycoincideswiththebluethatisseen.
Blueistobeseen,perhapsmostconspicuously,amongthings.Innaturetherearebirdsandflowersthatareblueandthroughhumanfabricationahostof
otherthings.Ifinobservingsuchthingswefocusonthemerefactthattheyareblue,thenwewillimplicitlyhavebroachedadifferencebetweenthethingitselfandthebluethatbelongstoit.Ourlanguagehaslongsincebeenshapedtoaccommodateandremarkthisdifferencebothbyassumingitsveryformandbyexpressingitastheinherenceofapropertyorqualityinathing.Andyet,preciselybecausebluenessmerelyinheresinthem,thethingsseenaroundusdonotofferavisionofbluenessitself.For,aspropertyofathing,itisasifthisqualitywereownedbythething,asifitwerebondedproperty.Bluenessprovestobetightlyboundtothething,notinthemanneroftwounitsformingadyadbutratherinthatofaninterlacementsointricatethatthereisnopointwherethedifferencecanactuallybemarked.Neitherthethingnoritsbluenesscanassuchbebeheld.Thethingcanappearonlythroughitsbluenessandwhateverotherpropertiesitpossesses.Weneverseeathingitselfentirelystrippedofitsproperties,reducedtocompleteindigence;neitherisitevencertainwhetherthereisathingassuchcompletelyapartfromitsproperties.And,whilethethingappearsonlythroughsuchpropertiesasitsblueness,thisbluenessappears,notassuch,notsimplyasitself,butasthebluenessofthethingtowhichitbelongs.Assoonasweundertaketodetachbluefromthething,toconceiveitapart,wehavebeguntotransferitssensetosomethinglessseenthanthought.
Yetthereisawaytodetachcolorfromthingswithoutwithdrawingitfromsight.Inpainting,itcanbepresentedasbothdetachedfromthingsandyetstilltoanextentlinkedtothem:asdetacheditceasestobemerelythecolorofthings,becomesfreecolor,coloritself,andyet,asstilllinkedtothingsandasfullysensuouslypresent,itremainsentirelyvisible,forgoestheshifttowardmereintelligibility.IncertainofKandinsky’sCompositions,forinstance,colorexpandsbeyondorevenleapsovertheboundariesofthethingstowhichitnonethelessdoesnotentirelyceasetobelong.Inthiswaycolorisfreedfromenclosurewithinthingsandgivenalifeoutsidewhereitcanappearaswhatitis.Perhapsnothingismorerequisiteforpaintingthanthecapacityforsuchliberatingtransposition,especiallyif,adaptingKlee’scelebrateddictum,itiscolorandnottherepresentationofcoloredthingsthatmakesapainterapainter.
Thequestioniswhethersuchfreecolorasthattowhichpaintingattestsistobefoundinnature.Where,ifnotamidstthings,isittobesought?
ItsufficestolookoutagainacrosstheAegean,trainingoureyesonthisopenexpanseofseaandsky,onwhatisofferedtovisionthere.Itisessentialtoengageourvisionsilently,evenasweobserveandsaythatwhatisseenisnothingbutblue,nothingbutvariousshadesofblue.Theblueoftheskyisno
property,doesnotbelongtoanything,butradiatesfreelybeforeourvision.Theskyisnotathinginwhichthequalityblueinheres.Itisnotathingatall,andweonlyviolateitswayofappearingifweinsistonapplyingtoittheancientschemaofthingshavingproperties.Thebrilliantdiurnalskycannotevenproperlybesaidtobeblue,foritisnothingelse–shinesforthasnothingelse–thanblueness,adistinctivebluenessindeed,auranicblueness,butnotthebluenessofsomethingthatisblue.Indeed,fromapanopticorextraterrestrialpointofview,theskyisnotatall;thereisnosuchthingasthesky.
Itisnotsodifferentwiththeblueofthesea.Tobesure,itstexturesaremorevariedandcomplex:thereisdifferentiationbetweensurfaceanddepth;thereisthemotionofthewaves;andthereareonitssurfacethelightertracesthatpatternthedirectionsofthewind.Butitsrelativelyboundless,nonperspectivallookshowsthatitisanelementandnotathingpossessingproperties.Itslegendarywine-darkcolorisnotsimplyboundtoitbutrangesfreelythroughoutit.
Inacertainwaythefree-rangingblueofskyandseadisplaysanaffinitywiththeinvisibleblueevokedinspeech.Forinbothinstancesbluenessitselfisdetachedfromthings,freedfromincorporationwithinthings.Butinanotherwaythesebluescouldhardlybemoredifferent.Theblueofskyandseashinesforthdirectlytoourvisionwithabrilliancethatthemereblueofthingscannevermatch.Howpale,then,howghostlikethebluethatismerelysaidmustseemwhenconfrontedwiththeradiant,freebluenessofskyandsea!
Ifwewouldknowwhatblueis,thenitbehoovesustolookoutacrossthesea,outtothehorizonwhereitmeetsthesky,andtotrainoursensetotherecessivepresencebywhichthebluebeheldthereutterlyescapeswhatcanbesaidofblue,indeedevenintheworditself.Suchtrainingrequires,aboveall,adisciplineofsilence.
SummerI(Oilandpencilonpaper),12×18in.
SummerII(Oilandpencilonpaper),18×24in.
SummerIII(Oilandpencilonpaper),18×24in.
6
CityofLights
Paris
May
Thesearedayswhentheskyispurelightspreadingitsgiftacrosstheexpanseofthecity,castingitsluminoussplendorontheboulevardsandthemonuments,thegardensandthepalaces.Onsuchdaysthelightshineswithsuchintensitythatitactuallyproducestheoppositeofitsusualeffect,assumingtheguiseofagiftthatinbeinggivenalsotakesbackacertainmeasureofwhatitbestows.Insteadofmakingthingsvisible,itrendersthemvirtuallyinvisible;theycometobewrappedinlight,enshroudedbyit,concealed.Intheverymidstofthingsthereappearblankspacesinwhichonlytheresplendentsunlightistobeseen,ellipsesofvisibilitythatareneithersimplyvisiblenorsimplyinvisible.Theseintervalsofexcessiveluminosityrepelsustainedvision;theyyieldonlytothemomentaryglance.Thelightthatconceals,thatrendersthingsinvisibleratherthanmaking
themvisible,provessoelusivethatitvirtuallyconcealsitself.Eversofleeting,thisluminousconcealmentbordersonutterself-concealment.
WalkingalongthequainexttotheSeine,onehardlyseesthewater,butonlythesparklingreflectionsofsunlightonitssurface.Thepatternofthereflectionsconstantlydissolvesandagaintakesshapeasthegentlewavesspreadacrosstheriver.OccasionallythepatternisdisturbedbyaboatcrowdedwithsquintingsightseersasitmakesitswaytowardPontNeuf.Onewonderswhattheywillhaveseenunderthisblindingsunlight;indeedonewonderswhattheywouldhaveseenotherwise,eveninthiscitythatofferssomuchtoseetothosewhohaveeyestoseeit.Forseeingisnotmerelyperceivinginthesenseofhavingaseriesofimpressionsregisteronone’svisualendowment.Rather,whatistobeseenmustbetakenupinitsvisibledisplayinsuchawaythatitscontoursofshading,color,anddelineationcometoberetraced.Ontheotherhand,seeingisnotmererecognition;itisnotmerelytaggingthevisiblethingassomethingfamiliar,asamereinstanceofsomethingknownbeforehandwithaknowledgetowhichthesightofthissingularinstancehaslittleornothingtocontribute.Rather,genuineseeingrequiresacertainabstentionfromthoughts,opinions,preconceptions;itrequiresasustainedrefusaltoletthetransitionfromsensetosignificationcomeintoplay,arefusaltothinkabstractlyinthemanifestpresenceofthevisiblesite,arefusalofthemoveonpastitthat,insteadofremainingintentonthevisible,wouldproceedtosaywhatitis.Thus,seeingdemandsalsothatspeechbeimpeded,thatoneremainreticent,evensilent,sothatboththevisiblesiteandallthatcontributestoitspeculiarvisibilitycanbecomeapparentintheirfull–yetalsoalwayselusive–manifestness.
Thetreesalongbothbanksreflectthesplendoroftheday.Theirleavesnotonlyglistenintheblazinglightbutalsoswaytoandfrointhegentlebreezelikesilentbellsthatwouldringoutacelebrationoftheday.Theyalsoassumetheroleoftiny,rotatingmirrorsthatlendtheirassistancetothelightbycastingitinalldirections.
If,turningawayfromtheriver,oneapproachestheeasternmostentrancetothevastedifice,thegreatmuseumappearsmorethanevertoresembleaGreektemplegleamingunderthebrilliantsunlight.Itsfaçadeisalmostentirelyilluminated;thereislittlemorethanahintofshadowseveninthespacesbehindthegreatCorinthiancolumns.ThefriezesarevisibleineverydetailasiftheyhadbeentransporteddirectlyfromtheParthenonitself,translatingtheirtalesofgodsandheroesfromtheancienttothemoderncity.
Thelargecourtyardthatleadstowardtheactualentrancetothemuseumisfloodedwithlight,asifitwereahugereceptacledesignedtoreceiveandhold
floodedwithlight,asifitwereahugereceptacledesignedtoreceiveandholdtheradianceoftheday.Justbeyondisthepyramid,whichshelterstheentranceandwhichisvirtuallytheoppositeofthecourtyardleadingtoit:notonlydoesitbeckonupwardtothediurnallight,butalso,becauseofitstransparency,itletsthelightfreelypassthrough.Thepyramidisflankedbyfountainsthatshootthewaterupwardwithsuchforcethatundertheintensesunlightitsappearanceismorelikethatoflightitselfthanofwater,asifinitsascentthewaterweretransmutedintolight.
Insidethemuseum,too,thereislight,andnotjustthatproducedbyartificiallightingorletinthroughwindowsorskylights.Inenteringthemuseum,oneexchangestheintensesunlightforthelightthatshinesfromwithinpaintings.Itisnotmerelyacaseofworksinwhichlightwouldbeathemedepictedinthewaythatapersonoralandscapemightbedepicted.Rather,itisamatterofpaintingsthatexcelinrealizingthecapacityofarttoletlightbeseenaslight,tobringtoappearancethatbywhichweseethingsbutwhichforthemostpart,inseeingthings,wehardlyseeatall.Inthisregardwhatcountsisthewayinwhichpaintingmakesvisiblethevirtuallyinvisiblesourceormeansofvisibility.
Thereislightandvisibilityinvariousregisters.Amongtheseisthevisionopenedupbythepoetaswellasthelightofpoeticinspirationthatmakessuchvisionpossible.ItisinthisregisterthatlightispaintedinPoussin’sTheInspirationofthePoet.Inthispaintingthelightofinspiration,alongwithitstransmission,isportrayedpreciselythroughthedepictionofnaturallight,whichshinesonthefaceofinspiringApolloas,backedbysimilarlyilluminatedCalliope(museofepicpoetry),hedictatestothepoet(oftenidentifiedasVirgil).ThereislightalsoonApollo’srightarmashepointstothepoet’smanuscript,thatis,asheeffectsthetranslationofthevisioninspiredintothepoeticword.Thelightilluminatinghislegmayofferasubtlereminderthatpoeticinspirationissomethingthatsimplycomesuponthescene,notsomethingthatcanbecultivatedorlearned.Thefaceofthepoethimselfismuchlessilluminated,asiftosuggestthathe,receivingthegiftofinspiration,ismorescribethanvisionary.
InLaTour’sMagdalenbyaNight-Lightthesubjectisseatednexttoatableonwhichisburningacandle,whichcastsitslightonherfaceandupperbody.Herilluminatedfaceisseeninprofileasshestaresattheflame,notasthoughobservingitbutratherwiththelookofsomeonesunkintodeepmeditation.Onthetablearetwolarge,closedbooksandinfrontofthemawoodencrucifixandaropewithwhichtochastiseherself.Onherlapisaskullonwhichherrighthandisplaced.Thepicturethuspresentsherassuspendedbetween,ontheoneside,thelightofthecandle,alongwithtokensoftheilluminationengenderedby
learning,faith,andself-discipline,and,ontheotherside,theinevitabilityofdeath,thefateofmortality.As,inhermeditation,shelookstothelightyetalsotouchestheemblemofdeath,shesenses,nodoubt,thatthesearetheextremesbetweenwhichthelivesofhumansarestretched.Fortheabsoluteotherofthelightisnotsimplythedark;asshadow,darkalwaysaccompaniesandcomplementslight,andasnight,italwaysportendsthelightofday.Theabsoluteotheroflightis,rather,death;and,asHomerdeclared,toliveistobeholdthelightofthesun.
Vermeer’sTheAstronomerpresentsthelightbornofthenewscientificknowledgeandtheenlightenmentengenderedbytheopeningofnewhorizonsthroughexplorationanddiscoveryandthroughnew,morepowerfulmeansofobservationsuchasthetelescope.Nowthelightcomesfromwithout,shiningthroughthewindowandilluminatingthefaceoftheastronomer.Italsoilluminatesthetopofthetableatwhichheisseatedand,inparticular,theglobe,whichheturnsasifenactingajourneytosomefaraway,unexploredcorneroftheworld.Inadditiontothebooksatoptheadjacentchestandthescientificchartattachedtoit,thereisanopenbooklyingonthetablebeforetheastronomer.Thebook,whichhasbeenidentifiedasMetius’OntheObservationofStars,isbrightlylitbythelightstreaminginthroughthewindow.Itistheopenbookofthenewscienceandoftheexpandingvisionoftheworldandofthecosmos.
Ifonehasexperiencedthemanifoldpresencesinwhichthiscitybothdisplaysandharborssuchawealthoflightinalltheseregisters,thenonewillperhapsbetemptedtosayagain,aswassaidbyafamousvisitortoParisnearlytwocenturiesago,thatitisthecapitalofthecivilizedworld.ForHegel,liketheancients,neverceasedtoaffirmthatitisinturningtothelight,inengagingtheascendancythatadvancestowardthelight,thathumanexcellenceisfurthered,that,inhisidiom,theadventofspirit,itsreturntoitself,isachieved.And,attheveryleast,thecivilizedissetapartfromthebarbarianbyitspromotionofsuchexcellence,byitsaidingintheadventofspirit.
TempleI(Oilandpencilonpaper),18×24in.
TempleII(Oilandpencilonpaper),18×24in.
7
Time’sShadows
Saint-HippolyteAlsace
June
Aroundthetimeofthesummersolsticethesunlightcanbecomealmostunbearablebothinitsintensityandinitsduration.Yetitwasafittingtimetochanceuponaremarkableinstrumentbywhich,inaformertime,sunlightprovidedthemeasureoftime.IfounditonthesideofanoldhouseinthenearbyvillageofBergheim.Setbetweentwosecond-storywindowsaboveasmallshop,theastronomicalsundialconsistsofapaintedsquaresometwometerswidefromwhichextendthreemetalrods.Onthewhitebackgroundthereissuperimposed,nearthetop,animageofthesun;itisrepresentedasaradiantface.Abovethesunfacetherearetwoinscriptions.Thefirstreads:“Sicutumbrafugitvita”(Lifeisfleetingjustlikeashadow),whiletheother,justbelowthefirst,indicatesthat
thesundialwasmadein1711.Fromthefaceofthesun,arrowsradiateout–tothesideanddownward–totwothree-sidedbandsrunningalongthesidesandthebottomofthesquare;onthebandsareinscribedthehoursofsunriseandsunset,thesignsofthezodiac,andthemonthsoftheyear.Alongbothsidesofthearrowthatpointsdirectlydownward,thehoursofthedayareindicated.Atthecenterofthesquare,directlybelowthefaceofthesun,twoofthemetalrodsextendatananglefromtwopointsonthesurface,meetingsoastoformwiththesurfaceanequilateraltriangle.Fromthepointwherethesetworodsmeet,athird,longerrodextendsupwardtothefaceofthesun.Itisfromtheshadowthatthethreeconnectedrodscastacrossthesurfaceofthesundialthatthevariousdeterminationsoftimecanbereadoff,mostdirectlythetimeofyear(themonth)andthetimeofday(thehour).Itistheshadowthatgivesthemeasureoftime;anditcanhardlyhavebeensimplybychancethattheinscribedwordthatisplacedattheverytopofthesundialdirectlyabovethefaceofthesunisumbra.
WhenIfirstcameacrossthesundialinmidafternoon,afewcloudshadgathered,blockingthedirectsunlightsothatnoshadowwastobeseenonthesundial.Withoutseeingthetime-measuringshadow,itwasdifficulttodiscernjusthowtheinstrumentperformsitsfunction.Butoncethesunreappeared,theshadowwascast,andthefunctioningofthesundialwasevident.Thereappearedtwolongtriangles,oneinscribedintheotherandsharinguptoapointits(unmarked)base.Thelongertriangleextendeddownwellbelowthesundialontothebaresideofthehouse,whiletheothercamejustabouttothebottomofthepaintedsurface.Theonesideofthelongertrianglethatitsharedtoanextentwiththeothertriangleformedtheindicativepartoftheshadow:itcrossedthecentral,downward-pointingarrowatpreciselythepointdesignating–correctly–thatitwas4:00PMinthemonthofJune.
Throughitsconnectionwiththesunlight,suchaninstrumentmeasurestimeconcretely,incontrasttotheabstractmeasureprovidedbymechanicalclocks.Forthemeansonwhichitdepends,namely,sunlightanditseffect,isnoneotherthanthatbywhichtime–itshoursandseasons–isnaturallydetermined.
Thetimethatisdeterminedinthiswayisthatofnature,orrather,ofthespaceencompassedbythenaturalelements,preeminentlybyearthandsky.Itisthetimethatholdsswayinthisnaturalabodeofhumansandoftheotherlivingthingsknowntous,allofwhicharesubjecttothecomingsandgoingsofsunlightandallthataccompaniesthealternationofdayandnightandthecourseoftheseasons.Wecanofcourseabstractfromthisnaturallymeasuredtime,measuringitinsteadbyreferencetootherregularlyrecurringphenomenasuchas
measuringitinsteadbyreferencetootherregularlyrecurringphenomenasuchastheswingingofapendulumorthefrequencyofacertainradiation;yetsuchmeasurestypicallyretainsomereferencebacktothenaturalmeasurement.Itisindicativeofourbondtothenaturalmeasureoftimethatevenwherethemeasureisextendedcompletelybeyondournaturalabodeandappliedtocosmicphenomenasuchasstarsandgalaxies,themeasuringunitsarestillderivedfromthenaturalmeasureoftime.Hence,thecourseofastar’sevolutionisdeterminedintermsofyears,eventhoughitmaybesituatedatanenormousdistancefromtheearth,bywhich,initsrelationtooursun,theyearisdetermined;andthedistancebetweencosmicphenomenaiscalculatedinlight-years.
Withintheenchorialdomaininwhichwepassourlives,nothingismoreconcretelyanddirectlyindicativeoftimethanlightanditseffects.Theintensityanddirectnessofthesunlightmarkthecourseofthedayandoftheyear.Shadowscanbeequallyindicative,notonlyonasundialbutalsoas,forinstance,theylengtheninlateafternoon,announcingtheadvancetowardevening.Variationsinthecolorofsunlightalsomeasurethecourseoftheday,fromthebrilliantcolorsofdawnanddusktothesheertransparencyofthemiddaylight.
Inverynorthernregionsthetimearoundthesummersolsticeismarkedbytheoverabundanceofsunlight,bythelongdurationofdaylight,whichreducesthenighttonomorethanafewhours,andstillfarthernorthbanishesitentirely.Thistimeismarkedalsobyanalterationintheexchangebetweendaylightanddarkness.Nolongerissunsetfollowedalmostimmediatelybynightfall;rather,itisasifthedaylingersinanextendedtwilight,deferringnightfallfarintothenighttimehours.Twilightgoesonandon,asiftimeitselfwereslowedbythepersistenceofthelightandeverythingtransposedintoastateofsuspension.Eventhepaceofhumanactivityisslowed,andwearetemptedtolingerinthistimethatisneithersimplydaynorsimplynight.Itisasifthedaywerestretchedintothenight,asiftheycametooverlapinatime-spanidentifiableasneither,havingacharacterallitsown.
ThoughevenhereinAlsacesummerdaysarelong,thecoolnightsbringrespitefromtheabundanceofsunlight.Bothareessentialtoanothertemporalitythatinthislocationcanhardlybeoverlooked.FromthewinevillageofSaint-HippolytetherestretchesoutontotheRhineplainanexpanseofvineyardsthat,intheotherdirection,continuesuptheslopesoftheVosgesMountains.Inthis
regiontimeisinseparablefromtheprogressionbywhichthebarevinesagaincometolifeandthewine-grapesappear,mature,andattheappropriatetimearereadyforharvest.Ateachstagethesunlight–itsdirectness,intensity,andduration–isinstrumentaltosuchanextentthatitsvariationinthecourseoftheseasonmarksthevariousstagesofgrowthandproduction.Inthewineitselftherewillremainatraceofthesunlight.
Onthedayafterthesolstice,ahugecloudcomingfromthewestbroughtwelcomerelieffromthesunlight.Asthecloudmovedin,itgreweverdarker,andsoonithadstretchedacrossalmosttheentiresky.Thecoolairthatitbroughthadthefeelofathunderstorm,afeelirreducibletomerefeelingorsmelloranyotheroftheconventionalrubricsbywhichwetry,withoutmuchsuccess,tocaptureourexperiencesofelementalnature.ThecloudcontinuedtoexpandtowardtheeasternhorizonwherethemountainsoftheBlackForestontheothersideoftheRhineplaincouldstill,forawhile,beseeninsilhouette.Beforeitquitereachedthehorizon,itabruptlyhalteditsexpansion,leavingexposedonlythebandoflightthatstretchedaroundtheeasternhorizon.Thenforatimetheblackcanopyhoveredlikeanominousshadoworagiantumbrellaoverthebroadlandscape.Itwasasif,withitsexpansionacrossthesky,thisgiganticshademarkedthetimeofthestorm.Forassoonastheumbrellahadopened,leavingonlythebandofbrightnessaroundthehorizon,thestormimmediatelycommenced:drivingrain,blowninalldirectionsbythestrongwinds;disheveledtreesaddingtheirvoicetothesoundofthepoundingrain;lightningwiththunderechoingagainandagaininthemountainsatmyback;allanimatecreaturesgone,havingtakenshelterfromtheelements.Oncethestormhadfullycommenced,theblackcanopyagainbegantoexpandandsoonobscuredentirelytheeasternhorizon.Itwasthenfullythetimeofthestorm.Itwouldextendintotheeveninghours,thefuryofthestormgraduallyabating,untilfinallynightfallcametosealthedarkness.
8
TheLightSpreadofTime
MünstertalBaden
June
Thedayisexquisiteasitspreadsitslightovertheentirevalley.Thescatteredcloudsareasbrilliantlywhiteastheskyisintenselyblue.Fromthisbrillianceandintensityalongwiththesharpnesswithwhichthecloudsareoutlinedagainstthesky,itcanbeseenthattheair,atthismoment,isexceptionallytransparent,utterlydiaphanous.Thephenomenonisremarkable:thetransparentaircan,inthissense,beseen–directly,notbywayofinference–eventhoughitisnotitselfseen,notseenassuch.Itappearspreciselyinremainingtheinvisible,perfectmediumofanotherappearing.Itcomestolight,notbyreflectinglight,asdothings,butbygivingfreepassagetolight.Visibility,itappears,isnotlimitedtovisiblethingsbutcanbebestowedonsomethinginvisibleinandofitself,indeedinsuchawaythatpreciselyitsinvisibilityiswhatcomestolight.
indeedinsuchawaythatpreciselyitsinvisibilityiswhatcomestolight.Thecloudsdriftslowlyalong,theirshapesgraduallytransformingasthey
becomemoreairyandexpansiveorcontractintodenserforms,alsoastheyextendwispyappendagestowardotherforms,someslowlymerging,someseparatingintonewshapes,inaplayofresolutionanddissolutionthatconteststheverycategoryofindividuality.Nothingillustratesmoreconcretelyandimmaculatelythesenseofdriftthanthislight,airyshowofforms.Theplayrequiresforitsstageonlytheabsolutelyimmobilediurnalsky.Yettheuniformityoftheskypreventsitfromprovidingameasureforthemovement;itmerelyformstheexpanseonwhichthedriftingcloudscanbeobservedinrelationtoeachother.
Mostofthecloudsaregatheredjustabovetheridgethatboundsthevalleyonthenorthside.Apineforeststretchesupthemountainsidetotheridge;moreover,manyofthetreesontheupperslopeareofsuchheightthattheirtopsextendabovetheridgeitself.Thusthecontourthatmarkstheupperboundofthemountainsideisprovided,ineffect,withaseriesofverticalmeasuringrodsinrelationtowhichatrainedeyecanreadilygaugethedriftoftheclouds.Itisasifcalibrationhadbeeninscribedbynatureinthisregionwherethedenseforestandrockymountainsidegivewaytolight,toopenair,andtosky.
Timeiseverywhere.Itsubiquityisnotonlylikethatoftheday,spreadevenlyovereverything;thespreadisalsosuchthattimeislightly,unobtrusivelymarked,thatitleavesitstrace,amidstallthingsaswellasinregionsdefinednotprimarilybythingsbutbytheelements,indeedmostconspicuouslyintheseregions.Itismarkedinthedriftofthelightcloudsalongtheridge;andthenaturalmeasureprovidedbytheprotrudingtreetopsis,ineffect,tothetrainedeye,akindofnaturalclock.Theforest,too,bearsitstraceoftime:setagainsttheheavier,darkergrowththathasenduredthewinter,theabundanceoffresh,lightgreenwithwhichthepinesarenowdecoratedbespeakstheadventofearlysummer.Theintenselyblue,cloudlessskyoverheadoffersavisiblepromiseofseveralhoursofsunshinetocome.Yetintheairthereisahint–eversoslight–ofachangethatlateafternoonmaybring,ahintthatisconveyed–eversoslightly–tooursensing.Itwouldbedifficulttosayhowitisconveyed:perhapsbytheslightestofscents,byascentsolightandsomomentarythatonewouldhavenosenseofitsorigin;perhapsbythedelicatefeelofslightlycooler,slightlymoistairontheskin–inanycasebysensingsthatcannotbereadilyaccommodatedtotheconventionalconceptsofthefivesenses.Forthisreason,thedoublyvagueconceptoffeelingisreadilyintroducedtodescribesuch
sensing.Yettothosefullyacclimatedtothisregion,itisanythingbutvague;rather,itportends–asdefinitelyasportentionsallow–athunderstormtocome.Animalsoftenfeelsuchportentionsmuchmoreintenselythandohumansandmuchfartherinadvanceoftheoccasionportended.Whenourweakerpremonitionhardlysensesatallwhatistocome,thebehaviorevenofadomesticatedanimal–thenervouspacingofadog,forinstance–mayshowthatinthisconnectiontheanimal’ssenseofthefutureextends–likecertainotheranimalsenses–wellbeyondthehuman’s.Foritineranthumansitmaybeonlywhenthedark,threateningcloudsbegintoformoverthemountainstotheeastofthevalleythatasenseofthecomingstormisawakened.Itistheywhoaremuchmoreconfinedwithinthepresentmomentthantheanimals.Totheextentthattheyareoutoftouch,ineverysense,withtheelements,theylosealsoacertainnaturalperceptivenesstothespreadoftime.Theyfailtocatchevenaglimpseofhowtimeisspreadamidsttheelements,ofhowtheearlymorningchillisstillpresent(aspast)inthecoolbreezeofmidday,ofhowthelightgustsinmidafternoonportendthestrongwindthattowardnightfallwillbringcoldairfromthenorth.Unlesstheyareattentivetothecourseofthenaturalelements,theymayoverlookthetinybudthathasjustbeguntoswellinearlyspring;andtheymaymisstheinconspicuousappearanceofthetracesofcolorthatfirstannouncetheadventoffall.
Itisinsuchways,then,thatsky,forest,air,andcloudsconveythearrivaloftheseason,thepromiseheldinthepresent,andtheportentionsofwhatistocome.Thusdoestimeinscribeitstracesinalltheseplaces.There,forthosewhoareperceptive,itistobeseen–indeednotonlyseenbutalsosensedinotherways,aswhenananimalcatchesascentthatwarnsofastillunseendangertocome;oraswhen,inlatewinter,thewarmthofthereturningsunshineevokesspontaneousmemoriesofsummerspastandjoyfulexpectationsoftheonetocome.Thespreadoftimeisalsotobeheard,aswhen,inthenottoodistanthighmountains,acallreturnsasanechosoastosoundthemeasureofitsdoubledpassage;oraswhen,inathunderstorm,therollingofthundersoundsitsmeasureinaccordwiththecontoursofthevalley.
Thesoundingoftimelendsitselftoenhancementbymeansofhumanfabrications.Thetollingofthechurchbellsbothdeclares,intheirsounding,thetimeofdayandspreadsthismeasureoftimeacrosstheentirevalleytoeventhemostremotefarmhouse,makingitaudibletoall.Thestrokescommunicateintimatelywithourmostconcretesenseoftime.Theyindicatebywayofnumberwhatpartofthedayhaspassedandwhatparthasstilltocomebefore
sunsetarrivestoturndayintonight.Thusthesoundingofthebellsbringsnumber,hencemeasure,tobearonourotherwiseinarticulatesenseofpassingness.Littleisalteredifthesoundingisshiftedtothecity,onlythatthesoundingissituatedinamoreabstractsetting,thesignificanceofitsmeasurenowbeingdeterminedinreference,nottothenaturallimitsoftheday,buttohumanlyinstitutedarticulations.Buteventhen,whennightcanbeturnedintoday,itisthesamespreadoftimethatpersists.
Thebellsofthevillagechurchmayalsosoundthetimeofcelebration,atimesetapartfromtheeverydaybecauseiteitherisormemorializesaneventofexceptionalsignificance.Thebellsmayalsoannouncethetimeofadeath.Theirsombertollingtellsthatsomeoneinthevalleyhascometothetimethatboundsandbindshumanexistence.Inasmallvillagemostwillknowwhoitisthathasdied,andthereremainsanopennessofdeathincontrasttotheoftenprevailingtendencytorenderitinaudibleandinvisible.Inhearingthetollingofdeath,wearemostconcretelyandprofoundlyremindedthatlifeisagiftbestowedbytime,thatitsspanisaspreadoftime.
Whereasclocksaremorepunctualand,especiallyinthecaseofdigitals,showapointoftimeatpreciselythattime,bellshaveadifferentkindofrelationtothetimetheyannounce.Thoughthefirststrokeofthebellsissettooccurattheverytimetobeannounced,itisatthispointundetermined–atanyrate,unknowntotheauditor–howmanystrokeswillfollowandhencewhatthetimeactuallyisthatisbeingannounced.Yetwhenthefinalstrokeissounded–orrather,when,afterthesoundingofthefinalstroke,theensuingsilencerevealsthatitwasthefinalstroke–anditisthenknownwhatthetimeisthathasbeenannounced,itisnolongerthattimeatallbutisalreadylater.Thus,whenthefirststrokesounds,thetimeisnotyetannounced;butafterthefinalsoundinghaspassed,thetimeisnolongerthatwhichwillhavebeenannounced,butrathertimewillthenalreadyhavespreadintoafurtherspanyettobemeasuredandannounced.
Insoundingthemeasureoftime,thebellsspreadtimebeyondthepoint,attestingtherebytotheelusivepassingnessoftime.Becauseofitslightpassage,becauseitpassesasimperceptiblyaslighttraversesaclear,openspace,timetoohasitsspace;orrather,itopensaspacethroughwhichitcanspread,leavingorpromptinghereandthere,intheplaceswherewepassourlives,tracesofitspassage.
9
Heights
TristacherseeOsttirol
July
Favorisalwaysgrantedtotheupwardlook.Visionisinvariablydrawntotheheights,asifbynature,asiforientationtotheupwardwaywereindigenoustohumannature,inscribedtherebynatureitself.Noteventhemostextremeobsessionwiththingscloseathandorwiththeirbearingonuscanrenderusentirelyinsensitivetotheforceofattractiontotheheights.Thisforcenotonlydrawsvisionupwardbutalso,astheheightsopenup,recoilsearthward,comesoverus,elicitingaffectivesimulationofthesublimeascentthatvisionwillalreadyhavetraced.Transposedecstaticallytothesoaringheights,wetakejoyinbeingreleased,evenifonlyimaginatively,fromthebondsthatbindustotheearth.Thelimitsofearthboundexistencefadebeforetheage-oldphantasyofflight.
flight.Thereismusicthatnotonlyawakensthisjoyofascentbutalsoletsit
resound,translatingbothvisionandaffectionintomeasuredtones.Asalwaysinart,thisredoublingmakesmanifestwhatotherwisewouldmerelybeenacted,wouldsimplybeundergone.Thetonestransgresstheconventionalboundariesbetweenthesenses;theyevokeavisionoftheheightsandasense,neithersimplyvisualnorsimplyaural,ofthesiteoftheascent.Asthemusicsoarsandtheninamomentofexhalationpreparestosoarstillhigher,itreplicatesartisticallytheattractiontotheheightsandtheimaginative,affectiveengagementintheascent.
Thereareplaces,uncommonplaces,wheretheattractionoftheheightsisvisiblydisplayedinanexemplarymanner–asatthisuniquesiteintheDolomiteswherethesheerverticalfaceofamountainformsthebackdropofashallowbutheavilyforestedarea,whichisborderedfrontallybyanAlpinelake.Theforestedareaissothicklypackedwithvariousspeciesofevergreensthatalmostnolightpenetratestheircanopytothegroundbelow.Becauseoftheirbare,butstraight,slendertrunksandbecauseofthewaytheirupperbranchespoint,likearrows,upwardtotheheights,thetreesdisplayanextremeverticality.Seenfromtheothersideofthelake,theychartavisualcoursethatleadsonuptowardthecliffthatappearstoformthesummitofthemountain.Itisanaturalcourse,notonlychartedbynaturebutalsolaidoutasifitwereaddressedtoourvision,asifitweredesignedtoenticevisiontotakeitup.
Yethowisitthatevenwherethiscourseisnotsocompellinglychartedbynatureitselfourvisionstrivesupwardandevokesinusalongingforelevation?Whatisitabouttheheightsthatexercisessuchattraction?Howisitthat,evenwhenanupwardwayisnotvisiblymanifest,weprojectitinimagination,inspeech,orinthought?Howisitthat,intheguiseofimage,sign,oridea,theheightsrepresentprimacyofrank,ofvalue,orevenofbeing?Doesnatureitselfgiveforcetosuchrepresentation?
Inanycase,atthisAlpinesitetheupwardwayisvisiblymanifest:itleadsbeyondtheforesttotheverticalfaceofthemountainandonward,upward,towardthesummit.Onthefaceofthemountainthereareseveralareaswhereverticalstriationsappeartomarkandenhancethesheerverticalityofthemountain.Alongwhatappearstobethesummit,thereisalineoftreesthatcapstheverticalface.Silhouettedagainstthesky,markingthepinnacleofascentwhilealsogesturingtowardtheimmeasurableheightoftheheaven,thissceneofseeminglylimitlesselevationreadilyevokesphantasiesofabeyond,phantasiesthathaveneverceasedtoshapetheaspirationsandhopesthatwehumansshare.
thathaveneverceasedtoshapetheaspirationsandhopesthatwehumansshare.Itisalmostimpossible–soitissaid–toreachthesummit,andinanycaseit
isextremelydangeroustotry;itisasifthemountainwithhelditselffromhumanintrusion.Yetfartherdown,arounditsbase,thereareabundantsignsofhumanintervention,includingindeedourverypresence.Yetifoneturnsasideandcastsone’sgazealongthelengthofthelakeandonbeyond,atoweringrangeofmountainsistobeseeninthedistance;therenosignsofhumanhabitationorinterventionare,fromthisdistance,visible.Theupperreachesofthemountains,almostdevoidoftrees,havethelookofsheerstone.Mostremarkablearethevoluminouscumuluscloudsthatfloatjustabovethemountaintops,consortingwiththemsoastoletearthandskyappearinutterproximitywhilemaintainingtheirelementaldifference.Theappearanceisofbright,weightless,driftingcloudsastheymomentarilytouchthedark,massive,upward-thrustingstone.
Yetitisotherwisewiththelake:itappearstolackentirelytheverticalitythatmarkstherestofthescene.Evenwhenagentlewindproducesapatternofripplesorawaterfowlleavesatinywakespreadingacrossthesurface,thedirectionalityofthelakeitselfisentirelyhorizontal,entirelylackinginheight.Nonetheless,byvirtueofitscapacitytomirrorthesurroundings,thewaterletsverticalityappear,despiteremainingalientoitassuch.Initsvivid,shimmeringreflectionoftheforestthatsurroundsit,thelakeoffersanimageofheight,andthecalmeritbecomes,themoredistinctarethecontoursoftheimages.
Thereareotherkindsofreflectionsthatbytheirveryindistinctnessareallthemoreremarkable.Onacalmdaytheycanbeseenaroundmidmorning,providedthesuncastsalightsheenonthesurfaceofthelake,illuminatingthetextureformedbytheslightripplesthatspreadacrossit.Alongthebankthereisasprawlingevergreenwithbranches,mostlybare,reachingdownalmosttothewater.Onthefewbranchesthatarefilledoutwithneedles,thepatternoftheripplesisreflected;itisclearlyidentifiableonthesimulationofsurfacethatthefilled-outbranchesprovide.Ontheotherhand,whatisutterlyremarkable–indeedastonishingwhenfirstseen–arethetracesofthelightonthebarebranches.Whatisproducedisnotareflectionatallinanyusualsense;thereisnoimageofthewater’ssurface,nothingthatdoublestheappearanceofthesurface.Rather,whatoneseesarespotsoflightrunningupsomebranchesanddownothers,uptowardthetreetrunkwhere,oncetheyreachthelargerbranches,theydisappear,downtowardthewaterasifrejoiningtheripplingsurfacebywhichtheywerecast.Thoughcastfromthatsurfaceasitreflectsthesunlight,thesesunspotsrunningupanddownthebranchesbearnottheslightestresemblancetothewater’ssurface.Thesereflectionsthatreflectnothinghave,
instead,thelookoffreeparcelsoflightwanderingalongthebranchesastheyplease.Andyet,theyarereflections:forassoonasthesunmovesbehindtheclouds,theentirespectacleoftheselittletracesoflightvanishesentirely.
Thesurfaceofthelakeprovidesamirrorforallmannerofreflections,reflectionsnotonlyoforontothesurroundingforestbutalsooftheconfigurationofclouds.Indeed,withtheapproachofnight,aremarkable,almostparadoxicalkindofreflectionofthecloudsmakesitsappearance.Inthediminishedlightofdusk,theimagescastbythecloudsbecomemoreintense;theirlines,theircontours,andeventheirvoluminositycometobemorevividlyreflectedonthesurfaceofthelake.Finally,whenthedarknesshasalmostdescendedontheentirescene,theimagesoftheintenselywhitecumuluscloudsappearwithsuchdensityandsuchaccentuatedcontoursthattheybegintolookmorelikeamagical,moon-litsnowfieldthanlikemerereflectionsofairyshapes.Hencetheparadoxicalcharacteroftheappearance:thelesslightthereis,themoreintenselythecloudsaremirroredbythesurfaceofthewater,untilfinally,whenthelighthasalmostentirelywithdrawn,theveryappearanceoftheimage,itslook,isthoroughlytransformed.
Intheimagesthatthecloudscastonthesurfaceofthelake,thetwoelements,theaerialandthethalassic,coalesce.Moreover,theairyforms,givingtexturetothesky,drawit,too,intothereflections,soastooccasionatthesurfaceofthewateraconcurrenceofvirtuallyalltheelements.Preciselybecauseitoccurspurelybywayofreflection,suchconcurrencecanserve,inturn,tofocusattentiononthemostelementalarticulations,thosebywhichtheregionsofthevariouselementsaresetapart,airfromsea,earthfromsky.
Itisnotonlywithinnaturethattheheightsexercisetheirattractionanddeclaretheirpreeminence.Evenwithwhatliesatthelimitofnature,whateverisuppermostproclaimstherebyitspreeminence.TheGreekmythosisexemplary:thoughitdeclaresthatovereachofthethreeregionsintowhichallthingsaredividedagodisassignedtorule,Hadesoverthehomonymousunderworld,Poseidonoverthesea,andZeusovertheheaven,itdeclares,too,unconditionally,thatZeus,rulerovertheuppermostregion,isthegodwhoissupreme.
Thepreeminenceoftheheightsisattestednotonlyinnatureandmythbutalsoinart,mostmanifestlyatthosepointswherearttouchesonthepresenceandabsenceofthedivine.TheverticalityofaGothiccathedralmakesvisiblymanifestthatwhichisofsuchpreeminencethatitcannotbecomesimplyvisibleassuchbutcanonlybeshownbywayoftheextremeverticalityofthearchitecturalform.Becausethegodswithdrawtotheheights,humanaspirations,
architecturalform.Becausethegodswithdrawtotheheights,humanaspirations,ifexcessive,becomeperilous;andstoriesaboundofthosewhoseheedlessventuresintotheheavenresultedintheirruin.
Inantiquitythepreeminenceoftheheightsandtheattractiveforceitexercisesuponhumanswererepresentedinfiguralguiseandinnarrativesofascent.Theserepresentationswere,inturn,detachedfromtheiroriginalsiteandthemselvessubmittedtotheveryelevationtheyrepresented.Thustheycametorepresentthepreeminenceandattractiveforceofanoriginbeyondwhatwas,tosense,themanifestoriginofthelightthatletsallthingsbecomevisible.Thisstillmorepreeminentorigin,itselfwithdrawnfromsense,couldonlybeitselfrepresentedbyconstruingthevisibleorigin,thesourceofvisibility,asanimageofit.Thelookofthesunhighintheheavencastinglightuponthesceneofallotherthingsbecomestheimagefromwhichtheascenttothetrulypreeminentistocommenceandbywhich,onitscourse,itwouldcontinuetobesustained.Withoutthissustenancehumanaspirationwouldbeleftwanderinginavoidwithouttheslightestsenseofdirection.
Inalltheseattestationsandtranspositionsofheight,whatremainsmanifestlypreeminentistheskyandthegiftoflightthatitenvelopsandbestowsonallthings.Itsheightis,inasense,absolute:notonlyisitsheightsuchthatitcannotbereached,but,stillfurther,itisentirelyinconceivablewhatitwouldmeantoreachornottoreachthesky.Onlytheutmostfancycouldpictureourcomingtotouchit.Tobesure,therearemanythingsinnaturethatconveyasenseofheightandoftheenhancementofvisionthatisbestowedbyheight.Thesheerverticalfaceofthemountaindrawsvisionupwardandpromptsustoimaginethebreadththatvisionwouldenjoyfromthereonhigh.Theelements,too,thatcomefromabove,therain,hail,snow,lightning,andthunder,contributetothesenseoftheuranicsource.Yettheultimatemeasureofheight,itselfbeyondmeasure,istheskyitselfenvelopingandbestowinglight.Whatattestsmostmanifestlytothepreeminenceofheightisthelightofthesky.
Alturas(Heights)(Oilandpencilonpaper),18×24in.
10
SummerSnow
SeefeldTirol
July
Eventhoughitismidsummer,almostamonthafterthesolstice,yesterdaybroughtafairlyheavysnowfallinthemountains.Aswedroveupthroughthepass,thetemperatureplummeted,andtheheavyrainandthickfogdeprivedallbuttheimmediatesurroundingsofitsvisibility.Therecouldbelittledoubtbutthathigherup,aroundthesoaringpeaks,snowwasfalling.Yet,asnightcameontoenshroudeverything,enclosingeventhefogandcloudsindarkness,noteventheslightestglimpseoftheragingelementsabovewaspossible.Wewouldhavetowaituntilmorning.
Morningbroughtthetranquilitythatfollowsthestorm.Nownature’sassaulthasgivenwaytotheassuranceofferedbythefewcumuluscloudsthatdrift
acrosstheotherwiseclearsky.Onthemountainpeaksthesnowglistensintheintenselightofthesummersun.Itspurewhiteness,quitedifferentfromthedullgrayofglacialice,bespeaksthatitislightandfleeting.Clearlyitwilllastonlyforashorttime.Byeveningitwillalmostbegone.Bytomorrowhardlyatracewillremain.
Bothincolorandinitsvisibletexturetheglisteningsnowcontrastswiththebarerockthatprotrudeshereandthere,especiallywherethemountainsideisatitssteepest.Therearealsoplaceswherethesnowreachesdownpastthetreeline.Withintheseareasextendingdowntowardtheforest,theexchangebetweeniceandstonethatprevailsonthepeaksgiveswaytoaninvertedanddistortedsemblanceofgrowth,asifthedarkevergreensgrewupoutofthepurelywhiteground,asifgrowthwerefromlighttodarkratherthanfromthedarkearthintothelight.
Especiallyundersuchrareconditions,theAlpinepeaksprovide,morethanever,aplacewheretheelementsaregathered,aplaceforthisgathering.Assheerstonetheearththrustsupward,itsverticalityreversingwhatseemsthenaturaltendencyandplaceofthiselement.Thesnowgatheredonthepeaksisequallyoutofplaceatthistimeofyearwhenallbutthemosttenaciousglacialiceshouldhaveundergoneitsnaturaltransformationandstreameddownintothevalleybelowtowaterallthathumanshaveplantedandtendedthere.Thecontourofthisgatheringofstoneandice,ofearthandwater,appearssharplyagainstthesky,whichisgiventextureandpatternbythevoluminousclouds.Thepuffywhitecloudsappeardarkerthanusualbycontrastwiththesnow.Andyet,whenthesunbreaksthroughtheclouds,thesnowonthepeaksshinessointenselythatitisasifitwereamirrorreflectingthesurroundingcloudswithsuchbrilliancethatthepurestwhiteisrestored–orevenfirstgranted–tothem.Yetitisthemountainpeaksthatprovidethefulcrum,thefocalpoint,orratherthevisibleexpansewheretheelementscometogether.Intheirmajesticascendancyandradiantshining,theyprovideaplacewhereearthandwater,skyandtheupperairaregathered,aplacewheretheyconcurinanelementalproximity.HerethereismadevisibleintheirlinesofarticulationthefourpresencesthattheGreekstooktobetherootsorelementsofallthings;oratleastthereismadevisiblesomethinglikewhattheGreeksnamedinwordsthatremainvirtuallyuntranslatableandthatmostcertainlyarenotconveyedbytheusualnamesthatwegivetotheelements.Forthisreasonitisimperativethatwenotbecaptivatedbyourownformofspeechbutendeavorinsteadtoexperienceanewandtosayanewelementalnatureasnatureitselfbringsitintovieworsets
beforeusthescriptinwhichtheelementalisencoded.Intheshiningofthesnowatopthemountains,thelight,whichmakesall
thingsvisible,isitselfgrantedadistinctive–evenifborrowed–visibility.Thatwhichmakesvisibleisitselfbroughtconspicuouslybeforeourvisionratherthan,asotherwisehappens,merelybeingtakenforgrantedastheconditionofvision.Inthisaccomplishmentnaturecanberegardedasimitatingart,atleastasimitatingthemodeofpaintingthat,aswiththeImpressionists,invertsourusualwayofseeing:whereasweusuallyfocusexclusivelyonthethingsthatarevisiblewithouttakingnoteofthespreadoflightthatrendersthemvisible,suchpaintingletsusseethelightspreadingthroughtheatmosphere,sometimesmakingitespeciallyconspicuousbypaintingitoverthethingsthatinordinaryvisionitwouldmakevisible.Attentivenesstosuchscenesasthatofthesummersnowshiningatopthemountainscould,ontheotherhand,promptonetoaskwhether,conversely,suchartimitatesnature,whetheritimitatesthewayinwhichnaturedisclosesitsmostelementalmoments.Oristherebothoriginalityandimitationfrombothsides,akindofreciprocalmimesis?
Stretchingdownthemountainside,asifitsdarknesscontendedwiththeshiningonhigh,theforestislikewisedisplayedinawaythatiscontrarytoourusualperceptionofit.Onthemountainsidewewitnessitwithanexpansivenessthatwouldotherwisegounseen.Weapprehenditashavingdensity,coherence,andextentbyvirtueofwhichitresistsbeingconstruedasamerethingorgroupofthings.Weapprehenditinitselementalcharacter.
Thusgatheringalltheseelementsaroundit–earthintheguiseofstone,waterinthatofsnow,skywithitstextureofclouds,thelightthatcomesfromthefireoftheheaven,theforestinitsdensityandextent–themountainpeakalongwiththeAlpinescenecenteredonitprovidesanincomparablesitefornature’sdisclosureoftheelemental–especiallywhenbroughtintoclearfocusbyphenomenasuchasthesummersnow.
Untitled(Oilandpencilonpaper),18×24in.
Untitled(Oilandpencilonpaper),18×24in.
11
DarkLight
SeisamSchlernSüdtirol
July
Whenwespeakapartfromnature,eveninspeakingofnature,thelinesthatseparatethings,thefiguresoftheirdemarcation,aredistinctlydrawn.Lightislight,anddarkisdark;andif,asattwilight,theyappeartoblend,itwillbesaidthattheydosowithouteitherofthemrelinquishinganythingofitselftotheother.Onearrives,theotherwithdraws,anditisonlyamatteroftheirpresence,ofthedegreeofpresenceofeach.Whenonearrivesandtheotherwithdraws,then,asalways,lightremainslightanddarkremainsdark.
Speechattests,then,thatthereisnodarklight;itrulesoutdecisivelythepossibilitythatsuchaconjunctionmightoccur,takesittobenolessimmediatelyself-vitiatingthantheconceptofatriangularsquare.Lightmay
growdim,andthethingsitilluminatesmaycometoappearonlyfaintly,onlyindistinctly.Lightmay,asatdusk,graduallygivewaytodarkness.Asnightapproachesandthesurroundinglandscaperecedestowardvirtualinvisibility,itisenvelopedbyboththelightthatremainsfromthedayandthedarknessthat,almostimperceptibly,descendsuponit.Yetitisasif,indrivingthelightfromthescene,theapproachingdarknessremainsnonethelessdistinctfromit,theonerecedingpreciselyastheothersupervenesuponthelandscape.Thoughitisspeechthatconveystheseal,perceptivenesswillalso–almostalways–concur.
Andyet,thereareoccasions,alltoorareperhaps,whendarklightistobeseen.Mostoftencloudsservetobringitintoview,forofallthethingsthatletusseelight,noneletitappearinsuchvariousguisesasdoclouds.
PictureaheavilyovercastdayinthehighAlpinevalley.Abovetheentirevalleyandthemountainssurroundingittherestretchesadullgray,absolutelymotionlesscanopy,whichpassivelyadmitsthedaylight,asifthrougharemotesphere,offeringnothingdistinctorindicative.ThisentirelyuniformcloudcoveriscastinestimablyfaraboveeventhesheerverticalpeaksoftheDolomites,whichsoarmorethanathousandmetersabovethevalley.Butitisotherwisewiththewispycloudtraces,hardlycompactenoughtoconstitutereallydistinctclouds,thatfloatjustabovethevalley.Almostasiflendingtheirmotiontotherockypeaksjustbehindthem,theyofferapromiseoflightevenonsuchdarkdays.Itisnotthattheyreflectthedaylightnorthat,asonsunnydays,theycapturethelightandembodyitintheiralmost–butnotquite–insubstantialmateriality.Itisratherthattheirsoft,light,driftinggraynessdisplaysacertainaffinitytolightitself,simulatinginitsvisiblepresenceandsteadyflowthelargelyinvisiblestreaminwhichlightiscasttowardthethingsthatitwillilluminate.Astheynotonlyfloatbeforethefaceofthemountainbutalso,asifinakindofslowmotion,driftintothedeepcrevicesthatarticulateandinsomecasesdividethepeaks,thesewispsofcloudsimulatealsothepoweroflighttopenetratewhereverthereisanopeningforit.
Overnighttherewasalightsnowfallintheveryupperreachesofthemountain,andnowthewhitecoveringisespeciallyvisibleonalessthanverticalsurfaceadjacenttothepeaks.Thelookofthefreshsnowundertheheavilyovercastskybringsout,throughsubtleaffinity,thedarklightoftheclouds.Atthistimeofyearthereislittlechancethatthethincoatingofsnowwillsurvivetheday;itwillproveonlyslightlylesstransitorythanthedriftingclouds.
theday;itwillproveonlyslightlylesstransitorythanthedriftingclouds.Becausetherocksurfacestillshowsthroughthelightcoveringandhereandtherejutsupthroughitentirely,itswhiteisnotquitethewhitenessofsnow.Notthatitisotherthanwhite:thereisnotraceofcolorcastacrossit,notevenfromtheunderlyingrocksurface.Itcanonlybedescribedasdarkwhiteness,anditislargelyonthisaccountthatitshowsanaffinitytothedriftingcloudsand,likethem,simulateslightinitsverydarkness.
Inallthesesightingsofdarklighttherepersistsavisionofascenethat,thoughsightedyesterdayshortlyaftermyarrival,remainssovividthatitseemsstillsomehowpresent.Theskywasalreadyfairlyheavilyovercast,andtherewasalreadyahintoftheapproachingdarkness.Thecloudcoverwasrelativelylow,justabovethepeaks,andwasuniformlygray.Butthentherecameintoviewahigher,muchdarkerbandofclouds;itwasasifthesedarkercloudshadspreaddownwardfromthetopofthedome.Thisbandwasdistinctlysetapartfromthelower,lighterbandbywhatlookedlikeahorizon.Then,shortlyafterithadcomeintoview,thehorizonbegantomoveslowlydownwardsothatthebandofdarklightextendedeverfartheroverthelighter,uniformgray,graduallyconcealingitandenvelopingtheentirescene.When,inamatterofminutes,thedarkcanopyhadbroadeneddownwardsofarthatthehorizonfinallycoalescedwiththecontourofthemountainsandthelighterbandwasentirelydispelled,thelandscapebelowremaineddimlyvisible,asifilluminatedbythedarklight.Thiswondroussceneofdarkilluminationwasbrief.Soonitbegantorain,andthedarknessofnight,intensifiedbythecloudsandrain,descendedovertheentirevalley.Thenonecouldonlyimaginethesoaringpeaks,withdrawn,astheywere,intotheirelementalobscurity.
PuertadelSolI(Sun’sGateI)(Acryliconpaper),18×24in.
PuertadelSolII(Sun’sGateII)(Acrylicandpencilonpaper),18×24in.
12
AtSea
DalmatianCoastCroatia
August
TheshipsetoutfromTrogir.Itwasasmallshipcarryingonlyadozenpassengersandmannedbyacrewoffour.Weweretobeatseaforaweek,remainingontheshipexceptforrelativelybriefeveningvisitstoafewofthecities,towns,andothersitesalongtheway.Astheshippulledoutoftheharborandheadedsoutheastalongthecoastofthemainland,itscontinualswayingandtheloudsplashingofthewavesagainstitssideofferedaconstantreminderthatwewereatsea.Theskywasperfectlyclear,andthoughitwaslateafternoon,thesunstillfeltverywarmonmyskin.Yettheairhadbythengrowncooler,andoncewehadsetout,Icouldfeelitscooldampnessasitblewacrossmyface.
Atseaoneisalmostcompletelysurroundedbytheelements,more
thoroughlyamidstthemthanperhapsinanyothersetting.Opentotheskyandtothelightthatisitsgift,oneissurroundedbytheseaasonelooksofftothehighmountainsofthecoastlinethatcanbeseenthroughtheslightlymistyair.Allarethere–sky,sea,mist,wind,mountains,aswellasthelineswheretheyareconjoined,asthecoastlinejoinslandandsea;allarethere,notjustasthingsarepresent,butwithamanifestnessthattouchesallone’ssensesandexpandsone’sverysenseofnature.Bycontrast,whenoneisonland–exceptinveryremoteplaces–therearealwaysinviewthingsfabricatedbyhumansaswellasvariousothersignsofhumaninterventioninthenaturalworld.Andwhentravelingbyairinamodernjetliner,oneisalmostentirelyinsulatedfromtheelements;andinthissettingvisionisalmosttheonlysensethatremainsreceptivetothem.Butatsea,grantedthetechnical,nauticalsupplementrequiredbyhumans,thereislittleelsebutseaandtheotherelementsaroundit.Notonlycanone’svisionbecaptivatedbyit,butalsoonehearsthepoundingofthewaves,smellsthebrinypresenceofthewater,feelsthedampnessoftheseaonone’sskin.Allthesenses,eachinitsownway,openecstaticallytotheseaandthusalsotothesky,theair,themountains,withwhichitelementallyconvenes.
Theelementsdisplayadistinctive,indeeduniquekindofsingularity.Eachissingular–thesea,thesky,theearth–yettheirsingularityissuchthat,unlikethings,theyaretoalargedegreeabsolvedfromindividuality.Thereisonlyonesky;itisevenoneandthesamesky,andyetitisnotsomethingindividual,doesnothavetheformcharacteristicofindividualthings.Thereisonlyoneearth,whichisalwaysoneandthesame;thoughitcanbepartitioned,separatedofffromtheseabycoastlines,neithertheabsolutelysingularearthnoritspartitioned-offregionsassumetheformofindividualthings.
Theelementsarenotthings,eventhoughsinceantiquitytheviewhasprevailedthatwhateverinthenaturalrealmreallyismustbething-like.If,atsea,onesetssuchviewsasideandletstheelementstouchone’ssensesinthemostconcretefashion,thentheelementscanbecomemoststrikinglymanifestintheirsingular,encompassingcharacter.
Eventhesheerstoneofthemassivemountainrangeoffinthedistance(theMosormountainrange)displaysacertainsingularitythatamerestoneobjectlacks;forthestoneofthemountainsisstoneoftheearth,stonethatisstillearth,stonethecharacterofwhichisdeterminedbyitsbeingoftheearth,incontrasttoanindividualized,perhapsfabricated,inanycasedetachedstoneobject.Themorepurelyelementalanelementis,themoreabsolutelysingularitis.Themostabsolutelysingularoftheelementsareearthandsky.
TheshipdockedovernightatMakarskaonthemainlandcoastandthenon
TheshipdockedovernightatMakarskaonthemainlandcoastandthenontheseconddaysailedaroundtheeasterntipoftheislandHvarandonpasttheancientcityofKorčula.WewereboundforDubrovnik,wherewewouldspendthesecondnight.
WhatcaughtourattentionaswepassedKorčulawasthehighwallthatsurroundedit.Originallyconstructednodoubttoprotectthecityfrompiratesorinvadingforces,thewallwasbuiltrightattheedgeofthesea,itscontourmatchingthatoftheshoreline,itsstonesimilar–exceptforitssmoothnessandregularity–tothemassiveformationthatconstitutestheshoreline.Muchthesameaccordbetweenthestonewallandthenatural,shoreliningstonewouldbeobservedinDubrovnik.Ithasalwaysbeenatlocationswheretheseabordersthelandinthemostsuitablewaythatcoastalcitieshavebeenbuilt.Indeedthewayinwhichtheseabordersthelanddeterminesnotonlyhowhumansbuildtheircitiesbutalsohowtheyliveinthesecities.
AstheshipsailedontowardDubrovnik,itpassedalongthesoutherncoastoftheso-calledhalf-islandPelješac.Alongtheentirestretchtherewerehighmountainscomingallthewaydowntothesea,andtherewerenosignswhatsoeverofhabitation,norevenofhumanintrusion.Thoughthemountainsweredottedwithevergreensandsowerelessdesolatelookingthanthosewehadseenalongthemainlandcoast,whatappearedmostremarkablewerethehugestones,theircolorborderingonwhite,thatranalongthebaseofthemountains,extendingupwardforseveralmetersfromthewater’sedge.Thishorizontalbandofstoneswascompletelydevoidofvegetation,andthusitservedtomarkthecoastlinequiteconspicuously.Indeeditconstitutedthecoastline;itwasthecoastline,thusinscribingtheelementalarticulationbetweenlandandwater,earthandsea.
Theseahadcalmedabit,andnowthatitssurfacewasmoreuniformandundisturbed,moremirror-like,thesparklingofthesunlightbecamesoremarkableastobenearlyindescribable.Suchsightsevoke,ofcourse,afloodofmetaphorsthatpromptustoimagineseeingdancingfigures,sparklinggems,andsoon.Yetthesecometooreadilyandasmeremetaphorsfitmuchtooloosely.
Thesparklingconsistsofinstantaneousflashes.Eachofthem–ifindeedonecanspeakhereofindividualflashes–appearsmomentarily,andinthatverymomentitisgone.Inarigorousdiscoursetheworditwouldhavetobeeffaced,for,strictlyspeaking,thereisno“it”thatsparklesbutonlythesparkling.Theinstantaneityofthesparklingforestallsitstakingshape,itscomingtohaveaformorsomeotherdeterminationthatcouldbeconstruedasitsessenceandperhapsevenasthe“it”thatsparkles.Rather,thesparklingoccursasasheer,
instantaneouscoming-to-lightoflightitself,aslighttraces.TheshipreverseditscourseatDubrovnikandthenonthethirddayofthe
voyageveeredoffalmostduewesttowardtheislandofMljet.Thoughmorninghadbroughtcoolerair,theheatsoonreturned,andastheshipreachedtheeasterntipoftheisland,thecicadascouldbeheardsingingtheirpraiseoftheintensesunlight.Thesearemainedfairlycalm,andthespectacleofthesparklingsunlightcontinueduntil,reachingthewesternendoftheisland(celebratedbytheancientsforitsnaturalbeauty),theshippulledintotheharborofthevillageofPomena.Wedisembarkedforastrollthroughthevillageandinthewoodsbeyond.Withtheaquaticshiningsstillverymuchinmind,thecontrastbecameevident:theinstantaneoussparklingsonthesurfaceofthewaterhadbeenmuchmoreindicativeofthephenomenonoflightthanthebrightlylitspotsthatwerenowtobeseenonthepatchesofgroundaroundus.Forinthelattercasethelightisassimilatedtothegroundsothatwhatoneseesissimplyilluminatedground.Althoughthesea,too,canappropriatelight,aswhenitassumesthecolorofasunset,thesparklings,theseinstantaneous,random-seemingshinings,arenotassimilatedbytheseabutratheraregivenback,indeedinsuchawaythatthesurfaceoftheseaitselfgoesunseen.Inaflashtheyaregonewithouthavingrevealedanythingwhatsoeveroftheseaitself.Itcanbesaid,ofcourse,thattheseasparkles,butthesyntaxoftheassertiondistortsandconcealsthephenomenalcharacterofthesparklings.Tobesure,theseapertainstothephenomenon,butnotastheagentofthesparkling;itis,rather,thattheseaonlylendsitsaidtothisbringingoflighttolight,assistsinlettinglightshowitselfinandthroughthesetraces.
Shortlyafterourmorningdepartureonourfourthdayatsea,thecaptainshutofftheengineandthecrewhoistedthesails.Formorethananhourtheshipwassilentlypropelledalongbythewindinthesails.Themoreconcrete,moredirectsenseofbeingatseathatwasnowelicitedservedtofocusattentionontheelementalcharacterofthewind.Asoneexperiencesthewayitfillsthesailsanddrivestheshiponward,itbecomesevermoremanifestthatthewindcannotbeappropriatelyregardedbymeansofthecategoriesderivedfromthings.Notonlyisthewindelemental,butitistheinvisibleelementalparexcellence.Oneseesitfillingthesailsonlyinthesensethatoneseesthesailsbeingfilledyetwithoutseeinganythingthatfillsthem.Thewindisevenmoreinvisiblethanlight:forlightcaninaway–asinthesparklingtracesonthewater–becomevisiblymanifest,whereasthewinditselfisnevertobeseen.Oneseesonlyitseffects,aswhenitfillsthesails.Ontheotherhand,whenatsea,onefeelsthewindalmost
constantlyonone’sskin,andoneoftenhearsthewhistlingorhowlingofthewind.So,despiteitsinvisibility,thewindengagesthesenses.Furthermore,itoftenbestowsonotherformsakindofvoice,letsthemsoundinsuchawaythatthey,alongwiththewinditself,becomeaudible:asintherustlingoftheleaves,inthewhistlinginthepines,inthecrashingofthewind-drivenwaves.
Earlyonthefifthday,theshippulledintoasmallcovewherewepassedmostofthedayenjoyingthelovelysurroundingsandmusingoverallwehadseenofthisancientland.Alreadybymidmorningthecicadashadbeguntosingundertheintensesunshine,assooftenIhadheardtheminGreece.ThesimilaritiesbetweenCroatiaandGreece,bothofthelandscapesandoftheseascapes,couldnotbutpromptcomparison.Whiletherewereindeedmanysimilarities,therewasoneverystrikingdifference.InGreecemostsites–certainlythosemostfrequentedbyinformedvisitors–arelinkedtoevents,institutions,arts,mythsthathavefiguredsignificantlyinthecourseofWesternhistoryandthat,evenstilltoday,markforusfoundingmomentsthatweredecisivefortheWest.InCroatia,ontheotherhand,therearefewsuchsites.Thereare,tobesure,somemedievalcitiesthatretainmuchoftheirformercharacter;yetasalandsuccessivelyoccupiedbyforeignpowers(byGreeks,Romans,Venetians,etc.),thereisscantevidenceofanindigenousfoundingcultureextendingintothecourseofWesternhistory.HeretherearenositescomparabletoAthens,Samos,orEphesus.OrCrete.
Onlytwomonthsago,inGreece,Ihadsetoutwithtwofriendsinsearchofonesuchsite.Itwasnotasiteofanythingactual,notasitewheretheGreekscarriedoutsomefoundingendeavor,butratheramythicalsite.ThesitethatwesetouttofindwasasitetoldofinGreekmyth,asitewhere,accordingtomyth,aneventtookplacethathadtodowiththegods,notwithmortals.Theplacetowardwhichwesetouthadformanycenturiesbeenidentifiedandcelebratedasthesiteofthisevent,thoughasamythicalsitethereisnotellingwhatitmightmeanforittobecertifiedasactuallythissiteorevenfortheretobeevidencethatitisinfacttheplacewherethe–mythical–eventtook–issaidtohavetaken–place.
WesetoutdrivingfromRethymnonalongthenortherncoastofCrete,pastIrakleion,andthenheadedsouthonnarrow,windingroadsthroughthehighmountains.Finally,ataremotelocationfarinland,wecametotheLassithiPlateau,abroadplainrelativelylushandgreenincontrasttothebare,desolate
mountainssurroundingit.Thelocalsinasmallvillagedirectedustothebaseofthemountainwherethefootpathbeganthatleduptothepoint,almostatthesummit,whereweweretofindtheDicteanCave.Thiswasthesite–soitwassaid–whereZeuswashiddenawaybyhismother,Rhea,topreventhisbeingswallowedbyhisfearfulfather,Kronos.
Fromthemouthofthecavethereisasteepdescentintothecool,damp,darkinterior.Withoutartificiallightonewouldseenothingonceoneclimbedmorethanafewstepsdownfromtheentrance.When,afterthelongclimbdown,onereachesthefloorofthecave,oneseesanumberofstatue-likestalactitesandstalagmites,whichlookalmostasiftheywereproducedbyhumanartratherthanmerelybywaterandstone.Yettheyhaveanunusuallook,displayingasmooth,moistsheen;itisthelookofawaterquiteotherthanthatofthesea,awater,rather,oftheearth,orrather,oftheunderearth,awaterbelongingtotheinterioroftheearth.Otherwise,however,therewaslittletoseethatcouldnotbereadilyseeninothersuchcaves.
Itwas,then,primarilytheconnectionwithmyth,thequasi-mythicalconnectionofthecavewiththemyth,thatmadethesitesomethingofinterest.Somemoreconcretesignscouldreadilybecalledup:thataslightalternateswithdarkness,soZeus,sovereignoflightandsky,hadfirsttobehiddenawayinthedarknessofthecave;andasZeushashisdomainthereabove,sothecaveopensnearthesummitofthemountain,opensontothesky.Yetwhatmakesthefactofsuchasiteperhapsmostsignificantistheaffiliationthatisaffirmedbetweenthemythicalandtheelemental,hinting,asitdoes,thatthemythicalhasitssourceinelementalnature,thatitisevenaguise–notwithoutdisguise–inwhichelementalnaturecomestolight.
Aswesailedon,wearrived,onthesixthday,atasmallharbortown,Milna,locatedonthelargeislandofBračanddirectlyacrossfromSplit.EveninginthetownprovidedanopportunitytowitnesssomethingdistinctivelyCroatian.Itwasamusicalperformancefeaturingamalechorusandagroupofdancers.TheyweredressedincolorfultraditionalcostumesandofferedalovelyperformanceofCroatianfolksongsanddances.Thesimplicityandfreshnessofthesinginganddancingwereexquisite.
OnthefinaldaytheshipreturnedtoTrogir.Weexploredthenarrowpassagewaysoftheoldcityandvisitedthetwelfth-centurycathedral,whichwasrepletewithimagesmeanttoremindhumansoftheirmortality.Ourfinalhours
repletewithimagesmeanttoremindhumansoftheirmortality.OurfinalhoursbeforeourreturntonorthernEuropeweregracedbyamagnificentthunderstorm,stillanotherdisplayoftheelements,whichwehadsooftenexperiencedatclosehandwhileatsea.
Sailing(Oilandpenciloncanvas),12×12in.
13
Seacoves
TownCoveOrleans,CapeCod
GottsCoveGeorgetown,Maine
August
Iwentdownyesterdaytotheharboralongwithsomeofmymostperceptivefriends.Wewereeagertoobservetheseaatclosehand,torelishthesightsitoffered,boththeseaitselfinitsvariousguisesandallthatwasgatheredarounditorthatmightemergefromit.Aswewalkedonsilently,headingdirectlytowardthelanding,pastallthespectaclesthatmighthavedistractedus,wenotonlyanticipatedthesightsatseabutalsowerebrimmingwithexpectationsthatbeingatseawouldpromptmemoriesretainedfromthemostcherishedtalesofthesea.Fortousitwasnosecretthatstoriesoftencometoroundoutour
thesea.Fortousitwasnosecretthatstoriesoftencometoroundoutourexperiences,notonlyaddingwhattheylackbutalsoexpandingandarticulatingtheirsense.
ThesmallshipthatweboardedembarkedfromProvincetownandheadedouttowardtheopensea.Graduallytheoutercaperecededfromview,andinlessthananhourwewereoutofsightofland.Oncetheshipreachedthelocationwhereatthistimeofyearwhalesaremostlikelytobespotted,itslowedalmosttoastandstillandwewaitedpatiently,thoughveryexpectantly,foroneofthegreatcreaturestoappear.Nowthecaptainhadcuttheengines,andtheshipmerelyswayedandbobbedwiththewaves.AsIstoodonthedecklookingoutacrosstheopensea,theslightmovementoftheshipremindedmejusthowcontingentthesupportivenessoftheseareallyis.Eventhoughthewaterwasfairlycalm,thegentlerockingoftheshipandthustheneedtokeepone’sbalancewereconstantremindersthat,unliketheearth,theseaoffersnofirmstability.Inordertocopewiththesea’sinstability,wehaverecoursetotechnicalsupplements,tosailingvesselsandalltheequipmentdesignedtoguidethemsafelyovertheuncertainexpanseofthesea.Butevenwhenbymeansofashipacertainsupportisgained,thesearemainsinconstantanddestabilizing;itneverletsusforgetthatthesupportitprovidesisgainedonlybytechnicalmeansandthatwithoutthosemeansitwouldengulfus.Toeventhemostsecurevesselthesearemainsalwaysthreatening.Thereistheever-presentdangerthattheseamayoverwhelmthevessel,especiallywhen,asinastorm,itconcurswithotherelements.Nomatterhowsecuretheshipmaybe,thesightoflandalwaysoffersthesailorthepromiseofsecurity.
Theappearanceofawhalebordersontheindescribable.Breakingsuddenlythroughthesurfaceofthewater,thehugecreaturethenimmediatelydivesbackintotheseasothatitssmooth,silkybody,glisteninginthesunlight,glidesinanarcabovethesurfaceuntilfinallyitsgreat,broadtaildisappearsbeneaththewater.Itisasightthatcanservetocrystallizeoneofthemostremarkablefeaturesofthesea.Unliketheearth,whichissoclosedoffthatlivingthingscanonlypenetrateorburrowintoit,theseaenclosesawealthoflivingcreatures,shelteringeventhosethatmustperiodically,likethewhale,comemomentarilytothesurface.Furthermore,asopenlyenclosing,thesea–again,incontrasttotheearth–admitsthesunlightthatstrikesitssurface,notsimplyabsorbingitandreturningitasthecolorofthings,butspreadingitthroughout,atleastdowntoacertaindepth.Itisprimarilybyvirtueofthisfeaturethattheseahasprovensuch
anaptmetaphorforthehumancondition,forwithinthismediumallaredependentonthegiftoflightfromtheopennessabove,though,withinthemedium,thelightisobscuredpreciselyinbeingconveyedandcanbeseeninitspurityonlyinthemomentaryglanceyieldedbytheutmostascendancy.Itgoesperhapswithoutsayingthatthismetaphoricsisalsoexceptionallyopen,itstermssubmittingtovariousinterpretations;itcanreadilybeadjustedalongthelinesoftraditionalsystemsofbeliefbutcanalsobeset,subversively,againstsuchsystems.
Whenoneisoutatseaoutofsightofland,disorientationisalmostinevitable.Whereasonlandtherearenearlyalwaysdistinguishablethings,which,evenifunfamiliar,stillprovideacertainorientation,atseathereisalmostnothingcapableofgivingasenseofdirection.Allaround,thesealooksmuchthesame,anditisonlybylookingtotheskythatadirectionalitycanbedetermined.
Thehorizonatseaisoneofthemostremarkablephenomena.Ifonefocusesonapointonthehorizonandthenslowlyshiftsone’svisionfirsttotheleftandthentotheright,thehorizonhastheappearanceofastraightline.Thecurvaturethatitmusthave–since,ifoneturns90°,itisstillthere–isnotperceptibleatall.Thiseffectcanresultonlyfromthefactthatthisline,bothseparatingandconjoiningseaandsky,appearswithouttherebeinganythingelseagainstwhich,inreferencetowhich,itsstraightnessorcurvaturecouldbemeasured.Yetstill,thephenomenonisremarkable:itisasif,withouthavingcurvedaroundatall,thehorizoncannonethelessappearallaround!Itisperhapsonlyatseathatthispurehorizon,appearinginthispeculiarway,violatingordinarygeometry,canbeobserved.
ThismorningIawakenedearly,stillmarvelingatthevisionsoftheopenseaanditsinhabitantsthatyesterday’sexcursionhadofferedandthatremainedvividlyinmymind’seye.Imademywaydowntotheedgeofthecove,hopingtoobservehowtheseaenclosedbyitwouldreceivetheearlymorninglight.ThebroadcoveopensontoNausetHarborontheAtlantic;fromthereitextendsnorthwestaroundStonyIslandbeforeturningbackalmostdirectlysouthandreachingallthewaydownintoOrleans.ItisappropriatelycalledTownCove,asitnotonlyreachesalmosttothecenterofOrleansbutalsoseparatesEastOrleansfromtheRockHarborarea,almostexactlybisectingthispartofthecape.
cape.Fromthebankjustabovetheedgeofthecove,Ilookedouteastwardacross
thewater.Nowthepurelinearhorizonoftheopenseahadbeenreplacedbythestandsoftreesacrossthewayontheothersideofthecove;asfarasIcouldseefromthisspotnotfarfromthesouthernendofthecove,thewaterappearedtobeentirelyenclosedbyland,thoughIknewthattothenorthbeyond(andobstructedby)HopkinsIslandthecoveturnedsoutheastwardlytowardtheocean.
Theearlymorningquietwasbrokenonlybytheoccasionalsoundofcrows.Thesailboatsandothersmallcraftthatlaterwouldglideacrossthecovehad,atthisearlyhour,notyetappeared.Thesunwasbarelyabovethetreesontheothersideofthecove.Thesunlightglistenedonthesurfaceofthewater,asifitwereignitinganarrayofsparksthereacrosstheway.Thebrilliant,momentaryflashesappearedtobeleapingfromoneplacetoanotherwithouttraversingtheinterveningspace.Attimestheyappearedtohaveshaftsoflightattachedtothem;thentheydisplayedalsoacertainverticality,andtheirever-changingarraybecameallthemoreluminous.
Itwasasifthesparklingsurfacewereaterrestrial–orrather,thalassic–imageofthestarryheaven.Itwasalsoasifeachofthepointsoflight,sparklingwithsuchintenseluminosity,wereatinyimageoftheirsourceandthesurfaceofthewateragiantmirrorinwhichthesunitselfcouldbereflected.Itwasasifintheseimageswecouldseewhatwecanneverlookupondirectly,whatoffersusnomorethanamomentaryglance.Yetintheirownwaytheimages,too,alludetothelimitation,imitatethewithdrawalofthesourcefromdirectvision:foreachpointshoneonlyforabriefmoment,sothatofthem,too,onlyaglancewaspossible.
Asthesunclimbedhigher,theentirearrayofsparklesrecededacrossthecoveuntilonlyafewcouldbeseen.Thenitwasonlyashorttimebeforetheyweregone,asiftheirbrilliancehadannouncedanewday.Tobesure,theywouldreappearoccasionallyinthecourseofthemorning,butneverwiththeintensityandspreadthatearlymorninghadgiventhem.
Now,onlyafewweekslater,theseimagescontinuetogatheraroundthepresentspectacle,givingitakindofimaginaryormemorialsetting.Orrather,hereatGottsCoveinMaine,thespectaclesoftheopen,yetshelteringseaandofthebrilliantreceptionoflightatTownCoveprovidethemind’seyewithscenesofcontrastwithwhathereismoststriking.GottsCoveisquitenarrowandextends
contrastwithwhathereismoststriking.GottsCoveisquitenarrowandextendsonlyafewhundredfeetbeforeitrunsoutintoabroadbaythat,inturn,opensontotheAtlanticseveralmilestothesouth.Withinthecoveitself,whichisnarrowlyenclosedbythebanksandpartlyshadedbytalltrees,thereistheutmostcontrastwiththebroad,openexpanseoftheAtlantic.AluminousspectaclenotunlikethatseenonCapeCodcouldindeedbeseenoutonthebayinearlymorning,andacertainprogressionofthebrilliantflashescouldbefollowedastheymovedacrossthebayandintothecove.
Moststriking,however,waswhatIobservedwhen,aroundmidafternoon,itbegantocloudup.Itwasnotthatindividuallydiscerniblecloudscamerollinginorevenjusttookshape.Rather,theskysimplyunderwent,almostimperceptibly,agradualalteration,itsuniformblueslowlymutatingintoanequallyuniformgray,whilesimultaneouslybecomingeverdarker.Fogbegantoappearacrossthebay,eventuallyenshroudingcompletelytheforestontheotherside.Allthedifferentiationsofcolor,exceptforthatofthenearbylandscape,gavewaytocompleteuniformityasallblendedintothesamedullgray.Thenthesparksandflashesthatadornedthewater’ssurfaceintheearlymorninglighthadvanished;onlandaswellasonthewater,nearlyalltracesoflightandshadowshaddisappeared,asiflightitselfhadwithdrawnintothemonochromaticgrayofthesky.Nowtheseaandtheskyhadbecomeexactlythesamecolor,acolorthatwaslittlemorethanjustlackofcolor.Nowthattheequallygrayfoghadrenderedinvisiblethelineoftreesontheothersideofthebaythatinthebrightmorninghourshadmarkedtheboundarybetweenseaandsky,thisboundarywascompletelyeffaced.Thehorizonhadvanishedentirely,andseaandskyhadcoalescedintoanexpanseofdull,undifferentiatedgray.Itwasasifthesceneservedtoannounce–inadvanceandwithanemphaticalnessthatonlysuchdaysprovide–thewithdrawaloflightthatwouldcomewithnightfall.
14
Sunspots
Boston
September
Theycomeandgowiththeclouds,fadingintothesurroundingshadowsasthecloudscometoblockthedirectsunlight,disappearingentirelywheneverthecloudsaresufficientlydense,thenreappearingasifbymagic.Iftheyappearontheforestfloor,thensomeofthegrowththatissparselyspreadacrossthatexpanseisalsoilluminated,itsshinyleavessparklinginthesamelightthatcaststhesunspots.Iftheclearingcomesrightafteraseverethunderstorm,thenthegrowthandthegrassyareasadjacenttotheforestglistenallthemoreradiantly,almostasthesurfaceofthesea,indirectsunlight,sparklessobrightlythatititselfbecomesvirtuallyinvisible.Forlightnotonlyilluminatesthingsbutalsoconcealsthem,sheltersthemwithaglisteningveil;themoreintensethesunlightbecomes,themoreimpenetrablytheveilisspreadbeforethem,andthemore
insistentlytheyrefusetoyieldtoourvision.Yettheyhide,notasinadarknessthatwouldenshroudthem,butratherinbrightnesssoabundantthatitglazesthemwithinvisibility.
Notonlythecloudpatternsbutalsotheconfigurationoftreetopsareresponsibleforthesunspots.Yet,ifsimplyobserved,thesecreaturesoflightappearautonomous,asifcomingandgoingbytheirownwill;theyexpandorshrink,theygrowbrighterordimmer,andtheyshifttheirposition,alter,ifonlyslightly,theirlocation,withintheentireconfiguration.
Althoughtheleavesabovemayglisteninthesunlight,indeedinsuchawaythatthedelicatedropsofwaterretainedfromtherecentrainbecomevisible,thespacebetweenthetreetopsandthesunspotsonthegroundbelowremainscompletelydevoidofthelight,untouchedbyit.Castthroughthetreetopssoastoprojectthesunspotsonthegroundbelow,thelightremains–exceptattheextremes–entirelyinvisible.Itcannotbeseeninthisspace,thoughthesunspotsattestunmistakablythatitmuststreamdown,ifinvisibly,throughthisspace.Onlyontheground,intheappearanceofthesunspots,doesthelightbecomevisible.Itisassunspotsthatwhatmakesallthingsvisibleisitselfmadevisible.Somuch,atleast,dosunspotshaveincommonwithpainting,thattheymakevisibletheinvisiblevehicleofvisibility.
Ascastbytheinvisiblelightbeamingdownfromabove,thesunspotsmakemanifestanenigmaattheveryheartofvisibility,acounterpointthatvirtuallysetsnatureagainstitself:thatwhatmakesallthingsvisiblehassuchacapacitytoremaininvisible,asthoughinvisibilitywereitsnaturalstateandvisibilitytherareexception.
Sunspotsalsohavemuchincommonwiththeappearanceofthings,withthewayinwhichthingsshowthemselves.Forjustastherearesunspotsonlywithinthepatterntheyformwiththesurroundingshadows,solikewisethingsappearonlyagainstashadowybackground.Neverdoesathingappearinitsentiretyallatonce.Nevercanitbeseensimplyasawhole.Allthatactuallyappears,allthatcanbedirectlyseen,isasinglefaceofanobject,thefaceseenfromtheperspectiveoftheobserver,thefacethatfacestheobserver;alltheotherfacesthatcouldbeseenremainintheshadows.Iftheobserveralterstheperspectivefromwhichthethingisseen,thenoneoftheotherfacesappears;butthenthefacepreviouslyseenwillhavewithdrawnintotheshadows.Anadditiveprocessbywhichallthefaceswouldbegatheredintoasingleappearanceisthusprecluded.
Thethinginitsentiretyisbothseenandnotseen.Atanymomentonefaceisactuallyseen,andeverythingelseisfilledinbymeansofexpectantimaginings
actuallyseen,andeverythingelseisfilledinbymeansofexpectantimaginingsofwhatwillorcouldbeseenandretentiveadherencetowhathasbeenseen.Hence,timeitself,theexpanseoftime,comestoensurethepersistenceoftheshadowsthatframeeverythingwesee.
Ithasbeensaidthatinabsolutebrightnessoneseesjustasmuchandaslittleasinabsolutedarkness,thatpureseeingisaseeingofnothing,thatsomethingcanbetrulyseenonlyindarkenedlightorilluminateddarkness.Inthisrespectsunspotsarelikethevisible,likethethingsthatcanbetrulyseen;forsunspotsarepreciselyareasoflightthataresurroundedbythedarknessofshadows.Tothosewhoaresufficientlyperceptive,thesesparklinggemssetindarkenedlightaresubtleremindersofhowwehumansengageandareengagedbyallthings.
Afewweeksfromnowthesunspotswillnolongerbethere.Thoughtheywillnotsimplyhavedisappeared,theywillhavestretchedoutintolongbandsoflight,indeedtosuchanextentthattheirformerdesignationwillnolongerbesuitable.Theywillalsohavereceded,willnolongerstandoutfromtheshadowsastheydidafewweeksearlier.Oncemostoftheleaveshavefallen,theshadowscastbythebarelimbsacrossthefadinggreenofthefieldwillhavebecomemoreprominent.Itwillbeasifwhatwereoncesunspotshadbeenstretchedentirelyoutofshapebytheshadows.Theoncebrilliantdisksoflightwillhavebecomemereindistinct,inconspicuousbands,asifdrainedoftheirformervitalitybythelengtheningshadows.Intheseaswellasotherdisplays,lightportendstheadventofwinter.
Butthen,severalweekslater,withthefirstsnowfall,thesunspotswillreappearmorebrilliantthanever,lettingthesoft,yetintensewhitenessofthesnowappear.Aroundthesnowysunspotstheconfigurationofshadowscastacrosstheuniformlywhitesurfacewillimagethepatternoftheheavilyladenbranchesabove.Thisatleastisthesightthatwillbeseenwhen,onthemorningafterthesnow,thenewdaybringsacloudlessskyandthecrisp,clearairthatbestowsonallthingsaunique,purervisibility.Thenthelightofthewintersun,lowintheskyeventowardmidday,willfilterobliquelythroughthesnow-coveredbranches,passingalmostinvisiblyuntil,reachingtheground,itbecomesvisibleinthesunspots.
TemploI(TempleI)(Acrylicandpencilonpaper),18×24in.
TemploII(TempleII)(Acrylicandpencilonpaper),18×24in.
TemploIII,Entierro(TempleIII,Burial)(Acrylicandpencilonpaper),18×24in.
15
VisibleTime
Boston
October
Notmanyleaveshaveyetfallen.Mostarestillgreen,evenifbeginningtoshowfringesoforangeandyellow.Yettherearealreadyafewtreesthathavedonnedtheirfallcolors,displayingthembrilliantlyondaysthatarebrightandclear,attestingvisiblytothearrivaloftheseason.Thoughthesunnowstaysabitlowerintheskyandthecharacterofthelightisnoticeablydifferentfromthatofsummer,thereisstill,onbright,cleardays,morethanamplesunlighttolettheblazeofcolorappearinallitsradiance.Thoughthelightitselfseemsmoretransparentthanever,theshiningofcolorthatitspresencereleasesisunmatchedbyanyotherthatnaturehastooffer.Withthearrivalofthesebright,clearautumndays,itisasifthegloriousyellows,oranges,andredshadbeenheldinstorethroughoutthesummer,asiftheyhadbeencarefullypreparedbynatureto
announcetheadventandthentheprogressofthenewseason.Withinacoupleofweeksthecolorwillhavereacheditshighpoint,andonlytheevergreenswillhaveescapednature’sbrushentirely.Yetbythentheleaveswillalsohavebeguntofall.
Tobesure,fallisnotimmunetodark,rainydays,thoughintheearlierweeksoftheseasontheytypicallyarefaroutnumberedbythebright,cleardayswiththeiralmostsilverlight.Whenthedaysareovercast,thebrightcolorsnotonlyaremutedbutalsoseemtowithdrawintowhatevergreenisstillaround,almostasifreenactinginreversethetransitionfromsummertofall.Orelsetheyappeartorecedeinfavorofthedullbrownofthedry,ever-clingingoakleaves,portendingtheseasonaltransitionstilltocome.
Butfornowthespectacleisthatoffallasitapproachesitspeak.Thetreetopswiththeirstillabundantfoliageswayinthebreeze,theirleaveslikeminiaturesailsdrivingthebranchestoandfro.Thebreezeisgentle,withasyetonlythetiniesthintofthefierce,frigidwindsthatwinterwillbring.Inthewoodsthegroundvegetationisstillfullyintact,thoughonlysomeofthesturdierbushesstillretainthefullgreenofsummer.Alreadytheferns,inparticular,thosemostancientinhabitantsofthewoodlands,showsignsthattheywillsoondonthecrisp,beigemantelthatseesthemthroughthewinter.Thusthey–andindeedthespectacleatlarge–displaytheirlighttracesoftheprogressionoftheseason.Allservetorendertimevisible.
Thereisanancientviewoftimethatregardsitasessentiallyapartfromnature,ashavingitsorigin,instead,inthehumanpsyche.Accordingtothisview,neitherpastnorfuturecanbeexceptassustainedwithinthepsyche,forthepastiswhatisnolongerandthefutureiswhatisnotyet.Pastandfuture–andhencetimeassuch–canbeonlyinsofaraspresenceisbestowedonthem,intheonecasebymemory,whichrendersthepastpresent,andintheothercasebyexpectation,whichrendersthefuturepresent.Thus,timeoriginatesinandthroughtheoperationsofmemoryandexpectation,andconsequentlyithasitsoriginarylocusinthepsyche.Withoutthesepsychicoperationstherewouldbeonlythepunctualnow,thetemporalcharacterofwhichwouldbedissolvedbyitsseverancefrompastandfuture.Whateverisdisplayedastemporalbeyondthepsyche,forinstance,theprogressionofthedayandoftheseasons,must,then,accordingtothisview,beregardedasnomorethanaderivative,secondarytemporalityprojecteduponnature.Timeitselfwouldhavenothingtodowiththeearthanditsdisplayoftheabundanceanddesolationthatarebroughtbytheseasons,norwiththeskyanditsdisplayofthepassageofthedayandofthe
alternationofdayandnight.Thisviewhaspersistedsincelateantiquitybuthasalltooseldombeenput
intoquestion,despitethevisiblemanifestnessoftimewithwhichnaturesurroundsus.Forinitsunfolding,naturebearsthepastwithit,asinthecaseofthesummergreenthatisstilldisplayedontheleavesthatnow,inearlyfall,arefringedwithorangeandyellow.Conveyingitspastintothepresent,natureeffectsanoperationnotunlikethatofmemory.Similarly,nature’spresenthaspresentwithinitthefuture,as,forinstance,intheorangeandyellowfringesnowshownbytheleavesthatinacoupleofweekswillbeentirelyablazewiththesecolors.
Iftheimperativetodayistoforgosettingthepsychequiteapartfromnature,thenneithercanoriginarytimebesetentirelyapartfromthevisibletimeshownbynature.If,furthermore,itturnsoutthattheelementalboundsofhumanlifearecomposedastemporal–intheformofnatalityandmortality–thenitwillbeimperativealsotoaskhowthesetemporalformsbelongtogetherwiththetimedisplayedbyelementalnature.
16
Wild
WoodsnearBoston
November
Althoughthedaywasovercastwithathick,steelygraycloudcover,thedeeporangeofthebird’sbreast–acolornotunlikethatofarobin–shonealmostasonabrightsummerday.Thiscoloring,alongwiththedistinctwhitebandsonthefeathersofitsbroad,fan-shapedtail,madeitsspecificidentitynearlyunmistakable.Butthedarkredpatchesonitsshoulders,which,whenitwasinflight,broadenedtoformmuchoftheleadingedgeofitswings,servedtodispelalldoubt.Thebirdwasared-shoulderedhawk.
WhenIfirstnoticedit,thehugebirdwasontheground,stirringupthecrisp,brownleavesthatatthistimeofyearformathickcoveringonthefloorofthewoods.Thehawkhadcomeasiffromnowhere;andhavingmostlikelycaughtaglimpseofamouse,chipmunk,orothersmallcreatureamidsttheleaves,ithad
alightedmomentarilyontheground.Thenamomentlaterithadflownuptoabranchofanearbytree,andthereitsat,itsmajesticposturematchingperfectlythesuperiorheightfromwhichitsurveyedthewoodsallaround.Grippingthebranchwithitssharptalons,itsatperfectlyupright,itstailfeathersextendingbelowthebranch.Foralongtimeitsbodyremainedcompletelystillasitswiveleditsheadalmostfullcircle,anexemplarymodelofacreatureutterlyattentivetoeverythingaroundit.Inoticedhowtheendofitsbeakcurvedslightlydownwardandhowthisfeaturemadethehawkappearallthemorereadytoswoopdowntotheground,shouldsomesmallcreaturesuddenlycomeintosight.Thebird’seyeswerefixed,andyetitsstarewasintense.Aswithmostwildthings,theyhadthatstrangelook,thatuncannyremoteness,that,onceonehasexperiencedit,leavesnodoubtbutthatachasmseparateshumansfromlivingthingsthataretrulywild.Thisunbridgeableseparationacrosswhichgenuinecommunicationisvirtuallyimpossible–howeverdelightfulandevensignificantbirdsongsmaybetous–isnotanindicationofrankorsuperiority,foritisalltooevidentthatinmanyrespectsthecapacityofwildcreaturessuchasthehawkfarexceedsthatofhumans.Thoughthereareofcoursemanyaffinitiesthatwehavewithwildthings,affinitiesthatwecangraspwithsomeassurance,thedifferencethatseparatesusfromthem,perhapsattestedmoststrikinglybytheeyesofsuchcreatures,issuchthatallourconceptsfallshortofit.Atbest,wecangetaglimpseofthewildnessintheeyesofsuchananimalandcanacknowledgeonthebasisofthisexperiencethatwildthingsareirreduciblyother.
Afterremainingforsometimewithitsbodycompletelymotionless,thebirdsuddenly,withahop,turnedhalfcircleandthenresumeditsstance,surveyingthewoodsintheotherdirection,maintainingexactlythesamepostureasbefore.Onecouldofcoursecomparethehawk’sactiontothatofasentinelorahunter,anduptoapointsuchcomparisonswouldnotbeinappropriate.Yetassimilationtoconceptsbothgearedtohumansandformedbythemmustbecriticallyinterruptedifoneistoremaintruetotheexperienceofwildthingsand,aboveall,tothelookofwildnessintheireyes,towhattheirlookreveals,orratheronlyshowsinitsutterremoteness.If,ashasbeensaid,theeyesofhumansare–forotherhumans–thewindowsoftheirsouls,thenitneedstobesaidofwildthingsthatthroughtheireyestheyare,atonce,bothexposedandutterlywithdrawn,thatintheirlookthereisbroughttolightapresencethatis,atonce,nomorethanatrace.Inthelookof–andfrom–itseyes,thewildanimalitselfisnotpresented,butitspresenceismerelytraced;itispresentedaswithdrawnfrom
presentation,presentedasnotpresentinthelookasweapprehendit.Thereisnomatchbetweenoursensibilityandthewildlookintheeyesofsuchacreature.
Itmayseemthatthewildnessofsuchcreaturesissomethingleftoverfromanearliernature,thatitisaremnantofnatureintheformthatprevailedbeforetheassaulttowhichitisnowsubjectedwaslaunched.Nolongeristhereneedtodiscernandinterpretsignsofthisassault,forwhatwasonceonlyforetold,firstasanidealforhumanityandthen,later,asthegreatestdanger,hasnowbecomeactuality,indeedanactualitythatdrawseverything,includingallhumaninterests,toitselfandturnsagainstwhateverisposedbeyonditsscope,assaultingthealien,banishingtheother.Whileadvancedtechnologywiththeresourcesitprovidesforalteringthenaturalcourseofthings(forinstance,forcommunicatingacrossadistancewithoutactuallytraversingthatdistance)isrequisiteforthisactualityanditsassaultonnature,itisnotsimplytechnologythatproducesthemonstrousconsequencesthatnowbecomemoreandmoreapparent.Rather,technologyonlyopensupthepossibilityoftheassaultforwhichnaturewouldbenomorethanasourceofmaterialsandenergy;also,however,itopensotherpossibilities,possibilitiesofsupplementingordirectingthenaturalcourseofthings.Foractualizingtheassaulttherewasrequiredapolitical-economiccomplexthat,appropriatingtechnologicalresources,promotedtheassimilationofallthingsbothnaturalandhumantotheendlessroundofever-increasingproductionandconsumption.
Topreservewildnessinthewakeoframpantcapitalismwillbecomeevermoredifficult.Thatwildernessareas,establishedintheefforttopreservewildness,mutatealltoorapidlyintotouristsitesisanindexofthedifficulty.Yetperhapsnothingismoreimperativeforcatchingaglimpseofwhatliesoutsidethisdebilitatinguniformity.Thattherearethingsinnaturethatbytheirverynatureresistassimilationatteststoabreak,afissure,inthearmamentofthepresentcomplex.Thereiseveryreason,then,tocelebratecreatureslikethered-shoulderedhawkwhosewildnesswillyieldtonothingshortofutterdestructionandextinction.
AfterashortwhileIlookedupagaintowardthebranchthathadservedasthe
hawk’slookoutpost.Thebirdwasgone.Ithadslippedaway,hadquietlyflownbackintothewoods,perhapstoreturntomorrow,perhapsnevertobeseenagain.Suchisthewayofwildthings:thattheycomeasiffromnowhereandthen,afteratime,againslipaway.
Guerrero(Warrior)(Acrylicandpencilonpaper),12×18in.
17
Quiet
CountrysidenearBoston
December
Now,afterthesnow,thereisnottheslightesthintofthewindthatsorecentlysweptoutofthenortheast,bringingwithitthefirstwinterstormoftheseason.Nowthetreesandeverythingaroundthemarecompletelystill.Noteventheslightestbreezecomestogivevoicetothedry,brownleavesthatstillclingpersistentlytothebranchesoftheoaks.Thereisnottheslightestrustlingamongthem.Onlysilence.
Yetitisasilencetobeheard.Indeeditisheardallthemorekeenlybecausethepresentscenecontinuestobetouchedbythatofthefiercesnowstorm,notassomethingcalledupandactivelyremembered,butascontinuingonitsowntoflowintothepresent,enduringwithouttheslightesteffortonourpart.Touchingthepresentsceneeversoslightly,framingitfrombeforehand,thesceneofthe
howlingwindanddrivensnowstillresounds.Itisascenethatcontinuestohoverbeforeoureyes,lettingusstillsensealmostpalpablythepowerofthestorm,itspowerespeciallytomakevisibletheotherwiseunseenpliancyofthetrees,theircapacitytoenduretheonslaughtofthestorm.Thesceneofthestormisapastbornealonginthepresent,stillvisibleinthescenethatnowliesbeforeus;theflowofpastintopresent–oftimeitself–isgatheredintothesceneafterthesnow.
Butnow,afterthestorm,allisquiet.Theheavy,darkcloudcoverremains,makingthepurewhitenessofthesnowseem,bycontrast,toshineallthemorebrilliantly,lendingbothintensityandshapetotheotherwisedarklight.Evenifsoundsweretointrudeonthesilence,thetread,forinstance,ofsomeonewalkingacrossthesnow,almostnothingwouldbeheard;forthesnowcushionsandabsorbsallthatsounds,quietswhatevermightcometobreakthesilence.Whileweknowthatthequietwillnotlastindefinitely,weholdatbaythemomentwhendisruptionwillinevitablycome,projectiteffortlesslyintoanindefinitefuture,openingthusaprotectiveintervalbetweenthepresentsceneandthedisturbancetocome,anintervalthatpreventsthatfuturefromtouchingthescenethatnowliesquietlybeforeus.Whilebearingthememoryofthestorm–orrather,lettingitbebornealongbythepresentscene–weholdinsuspensionallexpectationofwhatistocome.Atleast,thisiswhatwearerequiredtodoifwewouldexperiencethequietofthisscene.
Nowallremainsstill.Noanimals,noteventhebirds,haveyetventuredoutintothenewworldthathasbeencraftedbywindandsnow,theselightestoftheelements.Wildthings,too,rememberintheirownwaywhathashappened;theiracutesensestracethealteredcontours,andtheyremaincautious.Onecouldimaginethatthesceneisthatofapainting,towhichtimeandmotioncouldnotproperlybelong,wereitnotfortheclumpsofsnowthatoccasionallyturnlooseandfallfromthetrees.Yetastheyfalltheydissolvealmostintosnowflakes,asifreenactinginreversewhathappenedduringthestorm.Bythetimetheyreachtheground,theyhavedissolvedintoasprayofpowder.Thesilencegoesunbroken.Allremainsquiet.
Thequietcallsforquiet,forsilence,forlisteninginsilencetosilence,and,whentheycome,forwordsinfusedwithsilence.Itcallsforwordswhosehushedbordersencloseadeferralofsense,awaitingforwhatistobeheardonlybylisteningtothesilence.Whatcancometobeheardwillperhapseventuallybesaid,spoken,openlysounded;butnothingdoesmoreviolencetothesilencethantheprematurelysoundedword.Indeedthewordsilenceitselfexemplifiesthis
exigency:tosaytheword,exceptsilently,istobreakthesilence.Afewdaysfromnow,warmerwindswilllikelyarrive,andthethawwill
begin.Thoughatfirstimperceptible,thethawwillsoonalterthesmooth,powderylookofthesnow’ssurface.Smallstreamletswillappearhereandthere,butmostofthemeltwillbeabsorbedbytheground.Ifthewarmerweatherholds,patchesofearthwillbegintoshow,attestingoncemoretoitspersistencethroughallchanges.Foratime,theearthwillholdthememoryofthesnow,displayingitinthedampnessthatremainsnotonlytotouchbutalsotosight.We,too,willretainitsmemory,yetevermorepassively,aswearequietlydrawnawaytootherdaysandotherconcerns.
WinterI(Oil,pencil,graphite,andcharcoalonpaper),18×24in.
WinterII(Oil,pencil,graphite,andcharcoalonpaper),18×24in.
WinterIII(Oil,pencil,graphite,andcharcoalonpaper),18×24in.
WinterIV(Oil,pencil,graphite,andcharcoalonpaper),18×24in.
WinterTraces(Oilandpencilonpaper),18×24in.
18
White
Boston
January
Somedayshavepassedsincethebigsnowfall.Itwasagentlesnowwithlargesnowflakescomingstraightdown,astherewasalmostnowindtodivertthemortosetthemwhirlingabout.Indeed,itwaslesslikeastormandmorelikeadreamy,magicalscene,almostasifstagedpurelyforourenjoymentandinthissenseexemplaryofnaturalbeauty.Asthesnowflakesfloatedslowlydownward,theyweretheverypictureoflightnessitself.Atthesametime,theybroughtlighttothescene,whichotherwisewasdarkenedbytheheavyovercastthathadforetoldthearrivalofthesnow.Evenwhenthesnowpickedupandbecamesothickthatitobscuredeverythinginthedistance,itstillconveyedabrightnesstothingsnearby,enhancingtheirvisibilitywhilelettingeverythingelserecedeintovirtualinvisibility.
Thesnowlastedforafulldayandnight,andwhenonthenextmorningithadfinallystopped,everythinginsightwascovered,snowclingingeventothebarebranchesthat,asthecloudsclearedaway,weresilhouettedagainstthebrightsky.Soonthesunreappeared,andthentheskyshonemorepurelyandintenselybluethanperhapsatanyothertimeofyear.Itisatsuchatime,undersuchconditions,thatthewhitenessofthesnowattestsmostradiantlytoitselementalaffinitywithlight.Forwhiteisalmostlightitself.Hardlyanythingdifferentiatesthemexceptthatlightisinvisibleassuch,thatitbecomesinawayvisibleonlywhenitstrikessomethingandmakesthatthingvisible;white,ontheotherhand,givesbackthelight,reflectsallthatthelightharborsandsoisitselfeminentlyvisible.Yetdespiteitsharboringallcolors,whiteisitselfhardly–ifatall–acolor.Itmakesexceptionaldemandsonthepainter,whocannotonhiscanvasexploittheresourcesofshading;fortherearenoshadesofwhite,asthereareshadesofblueandyellow.Thereisonlywhiteitself,andevenwhatisquitesimilartoitisnonethelessoff-white,notashadeofwhite.Withsomepainters,suchasCézanne,itisasifsometimestheysimplygiveup,abandontheefforttopaintwhite,andsojustletthebarewhitecanvasservethispurpose.Perhapstheonlythingofthiskindthatrequiresoftheartiststillgreaterskilliscarnation,thecolorof(acertain)humanflesh,acolorthat,likewhite,isnotsimplyacolorbutthatharborsalltheprimarycolors,withoutmerelyblendingthem.
Ontheotherhand,whiteneednotbesimplyuniforminitsappearance.When,inthelightofthelowwintersun,thetreescasttheirshadowsacrossthesurfaceofthesnow,patternsoflightanddarkappearthere.Lackingacontinuumofshades,whitebreaksupintoareasthataredifferentiatedbythecontrastbetweenbrightanddark.Itisthiskindofdifferentiationthatthepaintermustexploitinorder,withwhite,tofashiononthecanvassomethingmorethanamereundifferentiatedwhitesurface.
Paintershaveobservedthatinwhiteallcolorsdisappear;theyremainsothoroughlyharboredbyitthattheydonotappearatall.Inthevisibilityofwhite,allothercolorsremaininvisible.Thus,Kandinskyregardswhiteasrepresentingaworldwhereallcolorshavedisappeared;andfromsuchaworld–onemightadd–virtuallyallthings,too,wouldhavedisappeared,exceptperhapsforsomethinglikeapure,uninterruptedexpanseofsnow.Inanycase,Kandinsky’sconclusionisthatsincesuchaworldisutterlyremotefromus,whiteaffectsuslikeagreatsilence;wehearwhitejustaswehear,forinstance,thesilencesthatcomposersinsertintheirmusicasmomentaryinterruptionsofthedevelopmentofmusicalcontent.Harboringallcolorsandtheirrespectivesounds,whiteislikeareceptacleanteriortothebeginning.
areceptacleanteriortothebeginning.Thesnow,too,asitsettlesoverallthings,alteringorconcealingtheirshape,
letstheworldappearinanotherlight,letsitseemmoreremote.Thesnowalsobringssilence,asevenhumanshuddleindoorsandforthemomentsuspendtheirnoisycomingsandgoings.Yettheyhaveonlytostepquietlyandattentivelyintothismagicalwhiteworldinordertolearntoseeinanewlightandtolistentosilence.
JOHNSALLISisFrederickJ.AdelmannProfessorofPhilosophyatBostonCollege.Heisauthorofmanybooks,includingLogicofImagination:TheExpanseoftheElemental(IUP,2012),Transfigurements:OntheTrueSenseofArt(UniversityofChicagoPress,2008),Topographies(IUP,2006),andForceofImagination:TheSenseoftheElemental(IUP,2000).
ALEJANDROA.VALLEGAisAssociateProfessorofPhilosophyattheUniversityofOregon.Hetrainedasavisualartistbeforestudyingphilosophy.HeisauthorofSenseandFinitude(SUNY,2009)andLatinAmericanPhilosophyfromIdentitytoRadicalExteriority(IUP,2014).