backwards and forwards

Still living the life in Kolkata. I have spent almost 6 hours today (I had a break for breakfast) work on one very, very tiny collage (about 4" by 7" I think). It's based on the most beautiful poem by Tagore, from his book "Gitanjali" which won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913. He was the first Asian to win the Nobel Prize (go figure). Here is the poem:

"Let all the strains of joy mingle in my last song--the joy that makes the earth flow over in the riotous excess of the grass, the joy that sets the twin brothers, life and death, dancing over the wide world, the joy that sweeps in with the tempest, shaking and waking all life with laughter, the joy that sits still with its tears on the open red lotus of pain, and the joy that throes everything it has upon the dust, and knows not a word."

I love his poems because they are just full of joy, very fun to read. I made another piece this week but I'm not as proud of it and it takes me FOREVER to post pictures!!! Blah. So, here are some photos of this one that I just made today. They're really bad because my camera's bad, but they get the point across. Focus on the parts that are in focus. Ha.

Here is a photo of some of the intricate parts:

And more....

I'm having fun in my little hostel room. I finally got it cleaned this morning. The floor was coated in charcoal. Yuckkkk.

I also saw three short films that make up the larger film "Smell" last night. It was an Indian film and it was pretty interesting. Not amazing, but good. It was fun to see some Indian art film, it's very unusual to see anything but Bollywood. When in Kolkata, however, it's easy to find some seriously avant-garde stuff. This is the cultural hub of India. I'm here until Wednesday and I couldn't be happier! I don't have to do work this weekend, so I'm going to be a tourist and visit many a place. Maybe I will even post pictures!!!

Love.