Dream series, the Beginning (The House on the Hill) - from Cheryl Penn

[Marie Wintzer]

During the last months we have seen some of Cheryl's Dreams resurface. Most of them were wintery Nightmares, inhabited by blinded Pigs, haunted by Monsters of all kinds. This recent series is a continuation of it, but also a new start. We are clearly slipping into a warmer and less tormented season. Without ever leaving the Fantasy behind, of course...

 

Somewhere in the outskirts of Glen Anil, Durban, there is a House on the Hill. The House really does exist. It is hidden by bushes, by trees, nobody knows who is living there. It didn't take long for Cheryl to populate it with Imaginary Characters, adding her own layer to the mystery of the place, and making it a perfect start to a new mail art series.

 

Windows and Curtains. Someone once said "You and your room with a view! You can look out. But who's looking in?". I believe the answer is here in this very piece. People do (try to) look in, even through Curtains. And is this even a Dream in the first place? Not sure. Dream or not, I really like the way House and Window are used in this piece. Windows are the bridge between inside and out, between the soul and the outer world. Mountains of symbolism to be found there. I think I would like to quote a poem by Cavaffy, because it describes very well some of the dilemmas we might have with our Windows:

The Windows
In these darkened rooms, where
I spend oppressive days,
I pace to and fro to find the windows.
When a window opens, it will be a consolation.
But the windows cannot be found, or I cannot find them.
And maybe it is best that I do not find them.
Maybe the light will be a new tyranny.
Who knows what new things it will reveal?

 

Through the Curtains of this Window, our mind has drawn a furtive silhouette. Someone is in the House, about to find out. This is where the actual Dream unfolds. And this is where I can see an immense gap between a true artist (painter) and the rest of us (I am mostly speaking for myself). To achieve that kind of light, the suggestion of curtains (stencil with real curtains?), the depiction of the scene happening inside the house and seen from outside, you need to be Cheryl Penn :-))
I have first hand information that more Dreams are on their way to Wakoshi. Are we going to find out a bit more about what happened in that House? Are we going to plunge deeper into the mystery of the story? Quite frankly, I can't wait!

 

[De Villo Sloan]

Sorry, that was in bad taste. To sort of reconstruct - I know your work very well too. I did recognize the quote, and I think it came from one of the Alex blogs.

[Marie Wintzer]

That "room with a view" quote is not bad either, I thought.

[De Villo Sloan]

I meant Kafka Hotel

[De Villo Sloan]

CB, I think you are my #1 (and only) reader in the world. Cheryl's done this "House on the Hill," and it's like a horror/ghost/mystery story, only there's something slightly "off" about it, and I mean that in a good way - thus the picnic analogy - David Chirot's vispo is really very dark and fits in well with Poe and Kafka, and the Prague Hotel, remember that?

[Marie Wintzer]

Do it! Or make Dw do it.

I saw the call but I'm not too inspired by that one yet. Let's see.

[De Villo Sloan]

New flash: Did you see Grigori's blog. He's doing a show to honor the 100th birthday of John Cage. Get out your teapots and water cans. But seriously, I'll have to send him something.

[Marie Wintzer]

What I wanted to say, that picnic analogy is one for the books!

[Marie Wintzer]

He certainly knows how to hype things up. Can't wait for the sandal-a.

[De Villo Sloan]

And it's boot-y-full. Will knock your socks off.

[De Villo Sloan]

I think he's busy making a Sandal-a