Wednesday, June 14, 2006

In Memoriam; A Solitary Cravo & Penniless Lovers

My posts - since I believe that there will be more than one - for 15th June will be dedicated to two of the greatest Portuguese men of all time who had in common, above all, the fact that they both died on the same day.

13th June 2005.

I feel obliged to commemorate the anniversary of their passing, because of a need to exteriorise here the fact that on the day of the funeral of one of them, which took place on 15th June, I , a strange kind of foreigner and outsider to so much around me, wherever I have been in this world, was humbly privileged to witness, and be part of, the most powerful, unforgettable experience of my entire life so far.

That is not intended as a cheap, over-stated, exaggerated piece of hyperbole.

No, simply, I mean it, fully.

All that I saw, heard and felt that day has remained close to my consciousness throughout the year since.

I choose to introduce this 15th June, which has only just been born, with these three photos of a solitary cravo/carnation that I brought home from my afternoon at the Lisbon annual parade on 25th April this year; a personal ritual that started in 2004.

Two are for Álvaro Cunhal and Eugénio de Andrade, who, to quote from de Andrade's "Penniless Lovers", tinham como toda a gente o milagre de cada dia/had like everyone the miracle of every day.


More rarely, and in their own distinct ways, they lived their lives as if they knew that every day was indeed a miracle.




The third cravo is for Fernanda Barroso, who died on 13th June 2006, precisely and poetically one year to the day that she became Cunhal's widow. Posted by Picasa

3 comments:

Pedro Portela said...

This is why I realy think of you as a great photographer. I really don't think you are a master of technique: you know more than the basics; but your strongest caracteristic is to make your shots sing when you put them side-by-side with a text written by you.

The shots are very colorful and intense, though. The last one is the poorest..because it's very out-of-focus.

Congratulations for this time.

Icarus said...

That a deeply appreciated compliment. You know when technique kind of stopped.
As for the third picture, well, at a minmum distance of 6 cms macro, you are going to get some part in focus, some out. Look again, the 'in' part is there towards the back of the cravo

marjan hols reis photography said...

As you aked me to look at your blog, I am amazed by you great colourful pics, and you words, I am jealous how you put your feelings in words!!!