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Sometimes Life offers us completely Unexpected Gifts

 

Such a thing happened when I decided in December 2020 to take up my cello again. One of the best decisions in my life, especially with losing my husband four years earlier and retiring from documentary filmmaking. The previous pandemic months, I had spent much time outdoors, working in the garden, and on my new project which involved community: the BLM Memorial Mural on the garage doors, often painting with friends, masked, and on a scaffold. When working alone or with collaborators*, this would become social time, talking to passersby of all ages, neighbors, dogs, and once in a while a special visitor. What a tragic year of loss, deaths, killings, fires, insanity and cultural awakenings. As the pandemic’s first winter with our Californian rains was looming, I decided to muster courage and take my cello out of the closet. 30 years had passed since I had touched it, always in fear that I would never again be able to coax a decent tone out my beloved instrument. Waiting in line at Ifshin Violins to have my cello looked at, I ask the kind young lady behind me who her teacher is. And this is how I stumble upon a most amazing cello teacher – teaching outdoors, under an open tent. Now, how creative is that! And not only that, but Bob Ng is a master teacher! A life-long teacher myself, always interested in the process of learning, I know the importance of searching for a good teacher. Throughout my professional life I have had the incredible privilege of superb teachers and mentors (in dance, theater, voice, T'ai Chi, breath, cinematography). Bob Ng is one of those few. For me, this is one of the best things in life, oral transmission with all its alchemy!  

 

Now, the good luck story is not over. One day in 2021, Bob and his wife visited my garden, and seeing the mural Bob said: “This would make a good photography project.” He had shown me previously a book with his highly professional and exquisite black & white art photography – his life-long passion as an artist – so I said: “Would you please undertake this?” His stills of the mural were so impressive, they inspired me to start writing about its gestation, background, and process. Bob did not stop here, he set up a blog with his stills and said: “Now you can write, here is a platform for you.” Stunned and a bit intimidated, I took him up, discovering that I enjoyed making short daily entries. And this blog – first named the Black Lives Matter Mural Project or 641 Garage BLM Memorial Mural – now has grown into Karinaland River, a place where the themes of my work and life are allowed to organically interweave, mingle and flow, now maybe twice a week....  

 

All three are still going: the Memorial Mural, the blog, and my cello adventure with weekly lessons. The other night, I woke up and urgently felt that I must re-feature Bob’s stills again. Please see for yourselves, and leave a comment about how they strike you…. 

 

*Big Thank You to all who participated and contributed on the mural: Nicky, Tomye, Jonas, Laura, David, Renate, Christopher, and Bob Ng. And to the stream of people who stop their cars, bikes, walking routines, and contemplate, comment, engage, take stills to send to friends all over the world, and who allow this Memorial Wall and its messages and meaning to penetrate their hearts… this flow continues, and I am noticing new waves of interest since I started to add another facet of the bigger theme of Injustice in America. Come by and visit, you might see Nicky & me, or me alone, in action kneeling and contorting our bodies when painting on the lower panels.  

From June 26, 2021 – (first entry, or set-up, by Bob Ng with his stills, back then it was in one continuous scroll action, which I loved, but eventually stalled as it got too big with entries & stills)

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The Black Lives Matter Mural Project is located at 641 Euclid Avenue in Berkeley, California.  It consists of two large panels painted on adjoining garage doors which document the names, dates, occupations, hobbies, livelihoods and manner of death for some of the many African Americans who have perished due to state violence and police brutality.  The mural – started in June 2020 – is the inspiration of Karina Epperlein and is supervised by her. It is still in progress.












Stills by Bob Ng

For more stills and content: See all posts about 641 Black Lives Matter Memorial Mural >

Comments

  1. Alex KSeptember 29, 2022 at 4:59 PM

    Bob's photos and my impression of the mural in person intermingle. The first impression is how distinct and stark they are and almost shocking in the clash with neighborhood. My reflexive thought is how intrusive but then I realize: yes that's right for that is what has been hidden in the midst of our society-the racism the violence. This is more vivid in person. As the photos zoom in, it becomes more personal and I sense how respectfully, lovingly and carefully the names are drawn on the doors as they negotiate the afforded space. And then the words themselves so personal and tender that one's heart is moved. And if one looks long enough the loss enters as you let your imagination be worked by the words.

    ReplyDelete
  2. EcraigOctober 12, 2022 at 1:40 PM

    These stills are gripping I love them. And I so resonate with the value of a great teacher. My dance teacher growing up shaped me and taught me healthy body image and so much more 🥰

    ReplyDelete

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