Monday, July 30, 2012

"Beyond the Forest"

As I sit here, in Devon, England, packing and awaiting my train to Scotland, I am sitting in an old library which has found me transfixed, this entire afternoon, specifically by the following book, images and words...

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literally translated, Transylvania means "beyond the forest".

... passages taken from beyond the forest, a photographic book by Claire Richardson 'about a people believed to be the descendents of the children that were led out of hamelin' ...

the children that were led out of Hamlin are those that legend has it are the children who followed the Pied Piper.

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'beyond the forest' 

he lives in a world of silence. a world of hard work & necessary patience; waiting on the weather and growth. they call him Mr. Pipe, a diabetic, water passes straight through him. his mother worries he shall never marry. he loved the butcher's daughter once, but her father sold the mountain.
claiming the common ground, he felled the forest and sold the oak. a rich man now, his daughter should marry well, a businessman from the town, perhaps. 
spurned, the boy strung up a lifeless scarecrow in his own image, a reminder to the girl of her father's betrayal.

the butcher's wife says the photographer is barren, and has come to buy children to operate her domestic machines. she welcomes the photographer, preparing a meal with the greatest of care and measure. 

the forest taken, the horizon restored. it offers no shelter now. an emptying landscape. as claims are made, fences erected and the horizon breached. only Mr. Pipe remains, the others have now gone, they spoke of a life beyond the forest...


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(c) Claire Richardson: 








3 comments:

canvas print said...

im a big fan of your work. the image are cool.

Galia Alena said...

Hey there sweet one… I couldn't resist and I’ve nominated you for a Beautiful Blogger Award (or Very Inspiring Blogger Award). Tis your choice to accept the award or not. To find out more please visit my post: http://galiaalena.blogspot.co.nz/2013/01/blogging-awards-thank-you.html and find directions, as well as a list of other bloggers I’ve nominated.

Gxx

Iliad Keys said...

These are some compelling photographs! It looks like Minnesota was a nice place, though I'm hoping your new home is just as pretty.