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On this page is where I'll speak my mind. You can read articles on topics ranging from politics to art. From Viggo Mortensen to Pope John Paul two, its either here or can be found by following the links to my store or my blog. Read, think, have an opinion, but for heavens sake don't just sit there. |
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Viggo Mortensen's Coincidence Of Memory. This collection of poetry, photographs, and reproductions of paintings spans the last twenty years or so of the artist's creativity, and gives an introduction to the wondrous diversity of the man. No matter the media his work, in the truest meaning of the word, is soulful. I felt that every ounce of him was put forth in an attempt to convey the thoughts and emotions that were so urgent at the time that they forced him to pick up pen or paint brush. I have to admit that when I first heard that Viggo Mortensen wrote poetry, painted pictures, and was a photographer my initial reaction was "oh goody, just what we need another dilettante celebrity killing trees for their vanity" Well one look at his work puts that notion to rest. This is not the work of a person simply feeding his ego, but that of an artist creating with emotion and ideas. The cover shot, (Sueno del Retiro) which spans the front and back covers, is of a soft focused black and white treescape. The foreground and the background dissolve together so that trees, sky, and earth are one, while retaining their own distinct elements. They do exist individually, and could have been focal points on their own, but through the blurring of images we see them as a unit, and feel their interconnectedness as well as their individuality. When I look at his photo I feel like I could be flying around the trees, in the fog, navigating by the sound of the leaves. I feel lonely because there is no one else there, but at the same time realize that I'm never alone because the trees and the sky and the earth are always with me. His poetry. While reading the poems I would get a visual of him in my minds eye observing; standing in the shadows with pen and paper to write down moments so that we too could feel them. If, as is probably the case, they didn't actually happen, then moments of universality that he was compelled to portray. There is such potency here that I found myself unable to absorb more then one or two of them at a time. I'm still re-opening the book and discovering something new about work I thought I had read thoroughly. Each piece picks away at you, demanding attention from your heart and mind. Follow a thought, then feel it, as he slowly unravels the story for you. He is not scared to show emotion, or to grapple with hidden demons, but not once did I get the impression that he was spilling his guts or using his poetry for self-therapy. As he does in his acting, he is able to suppress his own self behind the characters portrayed. They are the ones feeling, not him. That is in itself, an accomplishment worth celebrating. His subject matter is diverse: prose pieces about factory workers and relationships, an ode to the delicate manoeuvring required as friends slide into becoming lovers, descriptions of everyday, poignant in their simplicity, observations of the world around us, and even a comment on the process of moviemaking (the only obviously autobiographical piece) Not once does he sit in judgement, that's for us the reader, and we are not encouraged in that. There is nothing simple about this work, no black and white. Like the photograph on the front cover everything is blurred together, so we have to pick our way through a poem, looking at the individual pieces, and make up the whole on our own. |
The folllowing is a excerpt from a review of Viggo Mortensen's Coincidence of Memory. The full text is available for sale at Lulu.com. Just follow the link at the bottom of the page and it will take you directly to my storefront. |
If you've read me before you know that I'm not the effusive with praise, and that for me to write a headline like the one above means I believe someone is truly exceptional. I'm reprinting a review of Viggo that I wrote for another site here. Whenever I publish anything about this man it is with the intent of getting more and more people to read and peruse his poems and visual arts. So go to the link and be challenged and enjoy the work of an artist For most of us our introduction to Viggo Mortensen came via the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy. His portrayal of Aragorn will undoubtedly be forever engraved in the memories of all fans of J.R.R. Tolkien's work. Ironically enough those were not the first movies I had seen him in, but it was not until going back through my library of D.V.D.s was it revealed I had seen him three times previous. Obviously it's not that he is forgettable that caused this memory lapse on my part so I set about trying to figure how this could have happened. In all three movies (Young Guns 2, 28 days, and a murder mystery with Gweneth Paltrow and Michael Douglas whose name escapes me) he was not in the leading role, save for the last where he was second leading man to Mr. Douglas, so there was that to allow him to stay in the background. Although he was central to the action in all cases our attention was on how the central character or characters reacted to him, rather then him controlling the movie. But aside from the role of his character there was more then that. David Cronenberg whose just finished directing Mr. Mortensen in a Movie called "A History of Violence" said that he choose him for the part because he combined the charisma of a leading man with the abilities of a character actor. "Viggo is less concerned about how he appears on screen then with the truth of his character" That to me is the answer to my question. For each movie that he performs in Mr. Mortensen creates a character who is distinct from the personae of Viggo Mortensen. Not once do we ever see him playing himself. Emotional reactions are based on how a character should react in a given situation not how he would. Most Hollywood leads(men and women)let there star power carry them through a performance. We know when we go to a Mel Gibson Movie or a Goldie Hawn movie who we are going to be seeing on screen. This is not the case with Viggo Mortensen. This is why I could not recognise him from his performance in Lord of the Rings as the same actor who performed in 28 days or either of the other two movies I mentioned. As a former stage actor I am always deeply impressed when I see that kind of work being done on screen. It is so rare Hollywood films to see anybody willing to take that kind of risk, especially a leading man. I think that I gained a deeper understanding of the man when I learned that his artistic endeavours stretched beyond the silver screen. I had greeted the news of his ability as a painter, poet, and photographer with some skepticism I must admit, there are so many "stars" out there claiming the title artist these days that I greet any pronouncement of professed talent with more then a grain of salt. But his work is for real. Not only is technically skilled in all three areas but he brings a unique creative vision to his work. His poetry speaks from the heart and the brain; his paintings use abstract technique to explore emotions; and his photos of even familiar subjects like fellow actors tell a story that was not previously known. Like his acting there is an element of risk in all his projects. They are not easy to approach or understand either intellectually or emotionally. No Hallmark sentimentality here, the audience has to make a decision about how to react on an instinctual level. He leaves no room for ambivalence, he will force you to have an opinion of his work, whether positive or negative it doesn't matter. But there is not a chance of someone saying "Oh isn't that nice" That's the element that also makes his acting so unique. In even the bland world of Walt Disney in his creation of the character Frank Hopkins for the movie Hidalgo, we see a person of many layers, warts and all. Not your typical Saturday afternoon matinee idol. In a world of paste reproductions Viggo Mortensen is a rare gem of creative energy. His work as an actor goes far beyond the normal level of effort exerted by a conventional leading man which results in his performances being elevated into works of art as unique as his poems and pictures. If the chance arises for you I strongly urge you to read some of his poetry or look at some of his visual art. The web site that I have mentioned is a link to his publishing house where you can buy his work and the work of other artists. I purchased "Coincidence of Memory" which is a collection of work from the last twenty years, so provides a good introduction to all three modes of expression. Take a risk, you'll find the rewards far out strip the cost. |
Viggo Mortensen: Modern renaissance Man |
