Photography is a more intense way of “looking”. No photographer simply travels. He cannot allow himself the luxury of just looking around. He does not see landscapes; he sees photographs, images of reality as it might appear in a photograph.
Cees Nooteboom in 1982 in the Holland Herald, KLM’s in-flight magazine.
The ability to live in the question long enough for genius to emerge is a touchstone of creative success. In fact, a 2008 study published in the Journal of Creative Behavior revealed tolerance for ambiguity to be “significantly and positively related” to creativity.
I had to smile. I believe I might just have that tolerance for ambiguity. It’s been so much of my life ... the uncertainty of what’s next and how to go forward. It might even be said that doing things like moving alone to Istanbul, in 2003, had a degree of seeking out that uncertainty-washed place. Mostly it’s without realising it. It seems to be me.
Jonathan Fields has written an interesting article you might enjoy if you’re working as a creative person: There may, in fact, be a very thin slice of creators who arrive on the planet more able to go to and even seek out that uncertainty-washed place that destroys so many others. But, for a far greater number of high-level creators, across all fields, the ability to be okay and even invite uncertainty in the name of creating bigger, better, cooler things is trained. Sometimes with great intention, other times without even realizing it.
There are fine things which you mean to do some day, under what you think will be more favorable circumstances.
But the only time that is surely yours is the present.
Grenville Kleiser.
Found over on Cobalt Violet’s blog, a blog I strongly recommend you wander over and visit.
The house is a metaphor for the self, of course, but it is also totally real. And a foreign house exaggerates all the associations houses carry.
Frances Mayes, extracted from Under the Tuscan Sun.
I love the words I find written in Frances Mayes book, Under the Tuscan Sun. I’ve been carrying this book with me, wherever I move, since before moving to Te Anau, New Zealand, and that was way back before 1999.
The book is so veryvery different to the movie. My idea is that the book is for writers and dreamers, while the movie is a straight out chick flick ... humble opionion, of course.
This sign has been in the window of a restaurant I pass by ... since forever.
Since forever loosely translates as ‘as long as I’ve been living in Antwerpen.
I love it. And don’t even mind that the window’s a bit dirty. Must eat there one day, then I can write all about it.
I don’t know where I’m going from here but I promise it won’t be boring.
David Bowie.
Loved this. Felt like I could gift it to Gert, that Belgian bloke of mine.
Thanks to the marvellously inspiring Leonie Wise for the quote.