teaching torso

Q: Hey, what do you call a guy with no arms or legs, who just hangs on the wall?

A: "Art."

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What do you see here? I see a man who considers himself big because he has an "open mind," but in reality, he just has a big hole in his head. As a result, he is not capable of doing anything (no hands) or going anywhere (no feet). It should serve as a warning to the passers-by in this plaza, but my guess is that the majority view the subject without discernment, and simply consider it "art." What we have here may not be a clarion call, but rather a subliminal challenge to think. "The mind is a terrible thing to waste."

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Artistic expressions are not exclusively aesthetic, though sometimes a person does a thing "just because." The artist has a worldview, and a careful observation allows us to get inside that person's head and see beyond the surface of their work.

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So, what do you say? Am I making any sense here, or do you think that it is really me who has a hole in the head?

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[2,000 lb bronze sculpture Torso di Ikaro by Artist Igor Mitoraj at the historic Old Post Office Plaza in downtown St. Louis.]

hospitality

My wife and I were invited to dinner at the home of some friends. It was just a few of us grown ups--no kids. Most of the time, I resist those things, but as long as our family is not segregated on a regular basis, I'm okay with it. To be honest, on this particular night, I was more than okay with it. There were six guests plus the two who invited us. Since it was just grown-ups, I was on my best behavior.

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Before dinner was served, we sat around making small talk. The hostess walked in with what I would describe as super-sized pipe cleaners. First, she asked us to take three or four. Then she challenged us to make something out of them.

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I made the sun and a fish in water. John made a frame, and we used it for my seascape. My wife made a butterfly. One lady was excited about a significant anniversary coming up, so she made a heart, using the colors from her wedding. John's wife made a peacock.

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If analyzed by a psychiatrist, I don't know whether these things would be dismissed as trivial or noted to be profound. Do you suppose any of it could mean something?