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Our Lady of Guadalupe

12.27.09 - I have always been intrigued by the fact that "traditional" non-catholic African American women's christian belief system did not embrace a Madonna or female figure.  In so many ways it seemed unique to the African American female Diaspora in north america with the exception of new orleans and catholic practitioners.  One of my favorite saints is The Virgin of Guadalupe, perhaps it is her celebration by the people of Mexico.  But something about a female saint being dedicated to the needs of an entire people appeals to me.  Jesus, as a male figure is always described as a 'friend" of mine in African American spirituals, but why do we fail to embrace a female icon, like Mary?


Wouldn't the iconography of a female figure impregnated against her will hold a special significance to women who descended from slaves/bondspeople in South?



Still photograph from the set of Dogville by Lars Von Trier

02.16.10 – One significant thing about the human condition is how much and to what degree do we feel we have control over our lives?  Often for many and even sometimes personally life can seem to taken on an oppressive nature as if decisions and destiny are being made for you and you are in an inescapable tunnel.  However, sometimes for many and even personally life can seem to take on a liberatory feeling whereas your decisions and destiny are being made for you and you are on a path to flight, openness and escape.

 

One motif that has always compelled me is the act of performance.  That in many ways, one can often feel as if one is a puppet or an actor in a tableau.  What are the ways that we move between these different feelings?  What are our consequences as human beings in doing so?

08.28.10

The Invisible Town of Kitezh (1913) by Konstantin Gorbatov

Two weeks ago I saw the movie “I Am Love” and was moved for several reasons - while it was a very beautiful and visually engaging piece: the power of the characters, their ability to move and transition between different emotional states  and  states of consciousness with the past and the future, impacted me most.

What are these temporal zones that we inhabit?  How does it influence the way that we engage one and another if we are not existing in the same temporal spaces? 

How do we imagine our bodies and our homes when we feel we are being attacked?

How does mythology function in our lives?

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Kitezh (Russian: ??´???) was a legendary town in what is today the Voskresensky District of the Nizhny Novgorod Oblast in Russia.

The legend has it that Georgy II, Grand Prince of Vladimir, first built the town of Maly Kitezh (Little Kitezh) on the Volga River (today's Krasny Kholm). It is sometimes erroneously identified with Gorodets, which was actually founded some 30 years before Georgy's birth in 1189. Later on, the prince crossed the rivers of Uzola, Sanda, and Kerzhenets and found a beautiful spot on the shores of the Svetloyar Lake, where he decided to build the town of Bolshoy Kitezh (Big Kitezh). According to folk etymology, the name of the town came from the royal residence of Kideksha (near Suzdal), ransacked by the Mongols in 1237, while Max Vasmer labels the place-name as "obscure".[1]

After having conquered some of the Russian lands, Batu Khan heard of Kitezh and ordered his army to advance towards it. The Mongols soon captured Maly Kitezh, forcing Georgy to retreat into the woods towards Bolshoy Kitezh. One of the prisoners told the Mongols about some secret paths to the Lake Svetloyar. The army of the Horde followed Georgy and soon reached the walls of the town. To the surprise of the Mongols, the town had no fortifications whatsoever. Its citizens didn't even intend to defend themselves and were engaged in fervent praying, asking God for their redemption. On seeing this, the Mongols rushed to the attack, but then stopped. Suddenly, they saw countless fountains of water bursting from under the ground all around them. The attackers fell back and watched the town submerge into the lake. The last thing they saw was a glaring dome of a cathedral with a cross on top of it. Soon, there were only waves.

This legend gave birth to numerous incredible rumors, which have survived to this day. It is said that only those who are pure in their heart and soul will find their way to Kitezh (ironically, the road to the lake is still called "??????? ?????", or the Path of Batu). It is also said that in calm weather one can sometimes hear the wailing sound of chiming bells and people singing from under the waters of the Lake Svetloyar. Some people say that the most pious individuals may actually see the lights of religious processions (called "???????? ???") and even buildings on the bottom of the lake. This is why the Lake Svetloyar is sometimes called the "Russian Atlantis".