Reinhardt's Blacks and what it means to me

 

Ad Reinhardt, Abstract Painting, 1963, Oil Painting, Museum of Modern Art, NYC.

60 x 60" (152.4 x 152.4 cm)

 

After a lot of careful deliberation, I  selected one of Reinhardt's blacks as the subject matter for this essay. I chose the one from 1963 roughly at the later part of the 1954 – 67 period when he did his Monochromes and moved more and more towards shades of black. However, as with Reinhardt’s other blacks, longer viewing reveals that this is not an uniform black. The canvas is divided into a three-by-three grid of squares – with a reddish tone in the corner squares, a greenish horizontal bar, and a bluish in between. Like his other monochromes, this one has a very matte finish, no trace of a gloss, and absolute absence of any gestures – a very ‘fragile’ painting that displays his mastery over the medium and years perfecting his technique, at stark contrast with some of the ‘Action’ painters of the period and, as a corollary, a complete absence of ‘ego’, probably an influence of Zen Buddhism that he so passionately believed in.

In addition to his technical mastery, there are several things that appeal to me about Reinhardt, starting with the fact that amongst the NY post war abstract expressionists, Ad Reinhardt is possibly the only one whose first and only love was Abstracts. The purity of his form only grew over time, starting with his extremely engaging abstracts, to his monochromes. ultimately culminating in the ‘Blacks’ for the extended period of 1954-1967.  Though I liked his Abstracts, and loved his Monochromes, something in his ‘Blacks’ touched and calmed my restless Soul.

Reinhardt’s ‘Blacks’ demand attention – the casual observer will just pass over without understanding the depth of the painting, no degree of photographic trick will allow the viewer from truly experiencing the work from behind the lens, and the only way the viewer can experience the painting is by investing time and mind to the creation. In other words, the viewer is as much a part of the experience as the painting itself, and has to spend some considerable time to be able to discern the mastery, craft and shades in the work. Though this is true for all his monochromes, this is particularly true of his ‘Blacks’, and the one above is a perfect example of his craft. "Everything is on the move,” Reinhardt himself declared. “Art should be still.” And to me, his ‘Blacks’ symbolize the ultimate 'silence', the last frontier of ‘Still’ painting.

The changing world and our evolutionary journey...

The world around us is changing every day and sometimes we are too busy to notice. I came across some amazing innovations that I thought would be good to share. Actually a discussion with a key technologist and friend yesterday set me thinking.  I started reading through some stuff today morning. Interestingly, all innovation ideas seem to be coming either from China or the US only.

Here are some amazing examples:

• Xiaoyi, an AI powered robot, took China’s notoriously difficult medical licensing exams and passed with flying colors, the first automation to do so.
• A team of Chinese Scientists cloned the first monkey clones in the World in 2018. Humans next?
• China also opened the first robot-staffed bank in 2018. Customers are assisted by a set of AI powered BOTs, interactive devices, and augmented and virtual reality.
• Chinese 3D printing firm Polymaker has partnered with Italy's X Electrical Vehicle (XEV) to manufacture the world's first 3D-printed electric car. The vehicle, which will cost around $10,000, is slated to go on sale in spring 2019.
• Beyond Meat, the company behind Beyond Burger, is experimenting with a different alternative-meat product Beyond Sausage – looks and tastes surprisingly close to the real thing. We will soon be in an era where we can create and consume synthetic meat in volume.

There are some other fundamentally disruptive innovations that are knocking at our doors – and could fundamentally change the World as we know it .. there are a few interesting steps taken in the last few years towards these… and some of these might become a reality in the next 50 years.

• Creating Synthetic life - thanks in part to recent advances in microfluidic technologies, which allow scientists to coordinate the movements of minuscule cellular components. Research groups have already determined ways of sculpting cell-like blobs into desired shapes; of creating rudimentary versions of cellular metabolism; and of transplanting hand-crafted genomes into living cells. We are at the door step of creating new synthetic life forms.
• Living Forever  –  closer than we think.. according to Dr. Pearson, “A long time before we get to fix our bodies and rejuvenate it every time we feel like, we’ll be able to link our minds to the machine world so well, we’ll effectively be living in the cloud,” he explains. “The mind will basically be in the cloud, and be able to use any android that you feel like to inhabit the real world.”
• Replacing any organ that ages or is damaged – According to the Nature magazine, in a recent article published in Jan 2019, we could soon be 3D printing human organs. A few years ago, Wake Forest was experimenting with 3D printing skin tissue to directly overlay over a burn.  Just imagine walking into a set up and being able to buy a new organ to replace/ augment your failing one in real time.

Leaving aside the philosophical aspect of the meaning of life and our place in the World as we see it today, some of these have the power to define a new normal for us... My question to us is.. Are we ready?

Keep thinking...

The curious case of the popular Babas...

 

 

The post in about the problem with the polity today.. The curious case of the Popular Babas...

 

I watched with rising disbelief, the current story of the Baba and his dark Dera unfolding in front of our eyes.. was wondering how something like this could even happen in a modern democratic society at all. The degree of complicity required to have shielded this kind of wrongdoing for so long begs the question - how many people always knew and how many were simply quiet about it? And the corollary.. why should they now go scot free while the Baba in question languishes for a decade in prison.

 

Before the conviction, the courts, which behaved admirably in the midst of rather an overall sordid environment, had put their warning well in advance, the media highlighted it as well and much in advance, but the state apparatus failed miserably.. and mind you - not only in Haryana, but in the adjoining states as well... the excuses are beyond common sense... the usually over communicating Netas are conspicuous by their inexplicable silence.

 

The other curious thing is that all political parties that are not in power have come out strongly criticizing the current ruling party, but what about the party which sat on it forever much before that, or the one before - do they really have the moral grounds to criticize... am not seeing a single major political party come out strongly in opposition to this Dera or the culture that perpetuates this... why this reticence?

 

And with the Baba supporters threatening to change the face of the country, where are the Bhakts, Rakshaks and the Righteously Indignant like the AKs... why are none of them strongly coming out ... it is only the holy cow, and only the urban auto drivers that need protection... are 50% of the electorate (the Women) always to be taken for granted? it seems that only the judiciary have the guts to raise a voice... what about all the others?

 

The other curious question - who really runs the country? Is it the PM or the CM or the Police apparatus or is it is vast subterranean networks of Babas, Spiritual Gurus, and Leaders who are ubiquitous across caste, creed and religion who really control the real India... are our elected governments only a facade of a polish over the rotten corpse of our liberty, equality and dignity?

And how can some of the celebrities we tend to worship so much endorse Babas like this... and finally why are they so quiet when something like this unfolds... do they have no voice of conscience? Are they really worthy of the mass adulation that they get?

 

More questions than answers.. but a start nevertheless...

Shift Right

Starting with London, where the Conservative Theresa May holds sway, to the distant shores of the new World and the new slogan of 'Trump-ism', to Germany where CDU's Angela Merkel looks strong, and of course India, where the indomitable Narendra Modi is going from strength to strength... The World, as I see it, is moving inexorably to the right...

Another interesting phenomena that I see in today's world is that while most of the people in these countries prefer conservative rightist strong leaders in their own country, they expect that the rest of the World will go on it is prior liberal form.. a wish that others will be liberal in their outlook towards you, while you will be conservative in your outlook towards them... 

An Indian I was speaking to, was bemoaning the results of the new referendum at Turkey giving Erdogan sweeping powers, complaining how the folks at the immigration now ask a load of questions at the entry points in the US, his inability to find work and stay in UK... and at the same time condoning the move to conservative politics in India, his home country... accompanied by a move to a more restricted outlook where there are increasing norms round what, where and when you can do things...

Shifting Right is not necessarily a bad thing... but it should not be accompanied by a loss of personal liberty and onset of mass xenophobia...

And are things going to change?

Not immediately, I think... with the notable exception of Canada where Trudeau is breaking new grounds for the liberals after a decade of conservative rule, the picture in most other former liberal strongholds is firmly moving right.

And do people mind?

I think most don't... as long as basic requirements are met...

It would be well to remember Ben Franklin's famous remarks “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety”

A Nation of Hypocrites..

We are a Nation of Hypocrites.. I am extremely sorry to have come to this unfortunate conclusion.. but that is exactly who we are...

Let me take a few examples...

We worship the divine mother and our country is rife with female infanticide, unthinkable atrocities against women, and a total lack of empathy for their plight... the way women are treated in society is in sharp contrast to whatever we profess to believe...

We worship Animals and many of us are vegetarians - but treat them in an extremely cruel manner... look around you - the systemic culling of dogs in Kerala, the abuse of animals all over India, the killing of Nilgais in Bihar... there are numerous examples all over... We will lynch a person if he is suspected to have beef in his own home, but think nothing of abandoning our non-productive cattle and watch them forage garbage bins for food..

We are some of the most strident opponents of racism.. but open your newspapers, look all around you, see the news - there are numerous examples of caste-ism, open and revolting examples of regionalism, open distrust and antagonism between religions, and all kinds of discrimination dividing us all - and most of the time we don't even realize how racist we actually are...

We worship Mountains. Rivers and Nature - and are destroying our natural assets every day... overbuilding the mountains, building dams indiscriminately, mining hills and forested regions and destroying the flora and fauna.. and worst of all polluting our mighty rivers that we say are Goddesses... the list goes on and on...

Lastly, we find fault with every one else in the World - but I think this is one of the few places in the 'civilized' world where a jilted lover repeatedly stabs  a woman in broad daylight and all that we do is 

turn our faces and keep going... or a bleeding vegetable vendor dies of blood loss lying on the streets while no one bothers to stop or help!

Shame on us Indians! We have no rights to think ourselves superior to anyone else on Earth!

Deva...

I first met Deva in 2004... we were both rather cautious at the start... he was replacing the boss of that time... who I was not too fond of, and I am sure that he had received some indifferent feedback on me.. Very soon, we put all that behind us and were very close. Deva was a brilliant adminstrator, had an innate understanding of numbers, and was one of the best managers I ever had... I soon moved out of his portfolio, but we became fast friends.. And there is hardly a week that goes by that I don't recall something or the other about someone who was a friend, a brother, and a guide to me...

 

You must have guessed by now... Deva is no more... he left us in 2014 after a massive heart attack in the morning one fine day in Korea at the age of 43... My only regret... I had promised that I would visit him there... and I could not keep my promise.. atleast, I will go and spend some time by his grave in some remote corner in Coastal Tamil Nadu...

 

For those who have never met Deva, it would be difficult to imagine a person who was so much fun to be around with... so warm, vivant, and full of life... with his wide smile... passionate, emotional and generous to a fault...

 

There are many incidents involving Deva... during our stay in Minneapolis...that I will never forget.. here are some of them...

 

...When I first saw Deva outside work at JC Penney... in the women's undergarments section.. I quickly called my wife and showed her my new Boss... it was really funny and Deva looked rather nonplussed...

 

...Deva at Bombay Bistro.. taking a dare and gulping down a bowl full of Red Chilli... we had the meal free... Ajay (the owner) never took a bet with any of us again...

 

...Deva at work in the midst of one of the gravest crisis... shouting, laughing, calling folks names, coaxing, cajoling and bullying all of us; but always with the end goal in mind...

 

...Deva mimicing some of the people we knew... and all of us rolling on the ground with laughter...

 

...Deva, at Holani's birthday competing on how fast we could gulp down glasses of scotch... and winning hands down every single time...

 

...Deva, the life of the party, at his farewell enjoying the Timberwolves memorablia that we got for him...

 

...Deva the perfect host... at his home during Easter Week... and Maggi serving us Idlis, Dosas, Mutton... and a host of other savories...

 

and finally... life in Minneapolis after Deva moved off... boring, lifeless, and never the same again...

Even when I moved to Delhi towards the end of 2009, my old friend Deva was my reference for my new job... and he visited me in Delhi with a Korean colleague of his and we had fun catching up over an evening of food... that was the last I would share a meal with him.

 

The last time I met Deva was in the Delhi IGI Airport.. I was flying to SFO and he to Seoul - and we shared a hop to Hong Kong.. he looked a bit tired, was graying at his temples, but was overjoyed to see me... I was a bit angry at him for not having contacted me during his trip.. but he apologized saying that he was there only for a day.. and promised next time...

 

Alas.. there was no next time... when Maggi called me and let me know that he was no more, it took me a long time to even understand... let alone believe... Even now when I walk along the airport corridors during my frequent trips, I look here and there.. hoping that it was all a nightmare and I will see my old friend Deva with his winning smile and buoyant steps walking towards me...

The mess that is India...And an alternate way forward...

 

I spent the last week touring Kashmir and that is when, amidst the grand mountains and verdant vales,  these 'random' thoughts started bothering me...

 

In the distant East, in Bengal, an acclaimed actor turned politician, and a Member of Parliament to boot, is caught on camera openly exhorting his 'boys' to get Opposition party women raped... for good measure, he adds that if need be, he would not hesitate to use guns against his opponents.

 

Right next to me, the owner of a Dhaba tells me that they only sell veggie food in the summer when people from India (or Hindustan) come down to the Hills in Kashmir as all Indians are Vegeterians, In winter when the Kashmiris and Foreigners throng the hills... they serve all kinds of meat... the sense of alienation is complete when a 'Hindustani' businessman next to me remarks that all Kashmiris are cheats and should not be trusted...

 

In Uttar Pradesh, which lies somewhat midway between these two states.. an ex-Chief Minister does not hesitate to say that 'Boys make mistakes' referring to young sex offenders who are under intense scrutiny by the Government after the horrendous Nirbhaya case fanned outrage across India...

 

All these made me think that India is now a state hovering at the brink of disaster... Gone are the values and ideals that brought us together and made us a nation... the vast majority of our world is still steeped in outdated customs, factionalism, casteism, anachronistic rituals.. and meaningless jingoism...

 

Why did this happen? I have been looking and searching for answers for quite some time... how come that people across castes, religions, creeds from this ancient sub-continent could move toa place like Mauritius and create a thriving vibrant society.... while the parent civilization is in the anguished thores of a major seizure...

 

I believe that we, as a nation, have allowed multi-cultarism and diversity to go too far... there are just too many cultures, too many customs, too many rituals, too many beliefs, and perhaps too many Gods to allow us to come together and be ONE unless we stress on integration..

 

Here are my suggestions... may sound naive to some... but straight from the heart...

 

1. Encourage cross community/ cross caste/ cross region mixing - encourage people to inter-marry, disregarding social barriers - while the rich vs. poor is highlighted much in popular Bollywood movies, the other aspects are ignored... for obvious reasons... it is time to start this initiative... and it will go a long way in integrating the people.

 

2. Incentivize people to settle and work in places other than that of their origin and assimilate into the local culture.. while this is seen to be happening to some degree in setors like IT and BPO in 'India', sadly this has not been the case in the larger 'Bharat'.. Even in the USA, while most of the Europeans and Africans settled in and became 'Americans', the Indian community has remained 'Gujrati', 'Bengali', 'Telegu' etc.

 

3. Move to a uniform civil code - will encourage people to assimilate and integrate... if not in the current generation, atleast 2-3 generations down the line. We cannot call ourselves a secular democratic republic unless the law applies to all the citizens uniformly.. this, in my view, is an absolute must.

 

4. Focus on common set of languages.. while it is difficult to enforce a 'single' language Pan India, it is in our interest to make sure that anybody anywhere in this vast country atleast have languages that they can communicate in or atleast understand each other... build this into our Educational foundation.. reemphasize... reiterate.. and no compromise.

 

5. Defocus from the maxim of 'Unity in Diversity'... it sounds good on paper... but 'too much' diversity either in 'wealth', or in 'social norms', or in 'ways of life' ultimately lead to feelings of 'separatism' and 'resentment'... we should instead focus on 'Common threads'... celebrate what we share in common and not how we differ.

 

For, in simple words, if two people meet in India, and are from different religions, different castes, different languages... they usually have nothing in common to identify themselves with... it is high time we focused on a 'common' set of agenda items that will build and sustain our national identity...

 

We would do well to heed Patrick French, a British writer who has made writing about India his passion, who aptly states in his book 'India - a Portrait', "Integration is welcoming; it says join us; Multi-cultarism says, go to your Ghetto"

 

Cheers... till next time... let me know your thoughts...