Hello, bloggers!
I’m back in the United States after a fabulous tour in Germany and Spain.Last Saturday, before receiving the award from the A.E.F.E., I was invited to address about 300 members of the organization in the main cathedral in Barcelona. I spoke about a painting of mine that will adorn the wall of the ancient buildings, a 2-by-2-foot abstract painting on wood, which I had given to them last year. It was up in the front of the hall, draped with a purple cloth. The dignitaries spoke about it and unveiled it.
The painting is about change: how, in the Roman Catholic Church, the belief is that Christ brought love, peace, hope, and tolerance to the world, and through him the world has changed. On one side of the painting are black dots over a light background. The center is a goldish yellow, and on the right are red lines...I spoke at length about each person’s mission and how they can help with the worldwide program of changing the world through each person individually changing their own world for the good. It’s incumbent on all of us to join in the peace process, not just to be observers, or think the job is too great for anyone to do, but rather, to challenge one another to change our own world for the better. That painting is just a reminder of what our duty is. Naturally, being abstract, it could be interpreted in many ways. Two great art historians were there and did just that, giving their own interpretations: Arnau Puig and Felix Benz, along with the rector of the cathedral. I was pleased to see them, and everyone who attended. It was a wonderful event.
That evening, about 400 people gathered at the King Juan Carlos Hotel. The first thing that happened was that I was interviewed by a number of newspapers and media outlets. Then we proceeded into the grand ballroom, where we stood as a band played seven national anthems in a row, which was very stirring. Then the presenters bestowed the awards on different people individually, focusing on how they fit in with changing the world in a peaceful way through their individual disciplines. Then they bestowed the medal on me, a beautiful pin with the European Union stars in a circle with blue. It was very moving. We met great people and friends of ours from Luxembourg and Germany and the United States, who came to join us in the festivities.It was a great affair and a late night. We got back to our accomodations about 1 o’clock in the morning, then had to get up at 3 a.m. to catch the airplane.
It was a wonderful flight. There wasn’t much cloud cover, especially up in northern Canada as we came down, I was able to look out the window and see the different colors of black and white, undisturbed by the human environment because it was so far up and rugged. It occurred to me that nature can really teach us as artists the reality of our perception of colors and lights and randomization. It was a great teaching experience over that hour and a half, see the changing of one environment into another, on high, going from this white covering of snow to black and white, and then white and grays, and white and light tans... It was just—it was like a continual abstract painting that continued to develop itself. It was fascinating and humbling to be able to see this huge painting that was being painted by nature. What a great way to end such a diverse and wonderful trip!Now we’re back in the U.S., and will continue our adventure. I can’t wait to get into the studio tomorrow.
Matt