Friday, June 25, 2010

Slow like Miró

On Wednesday Jamie and I visited the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art. While purchasing our tickets, we opted to take along the complementary audio guide.

Near the end of the exhibit is a magical work. The audio guide explains how while Hans and Bessie Bechtler were visiting Joan Miró, they admired a rag the artist was using to clean his brushes and offered to purchase it. The artist declined, saying he still needed it.

Later, Miró sent the rag to Hans and Bessie as a gift, along with a warm note and some display instructions. Miró had transformed the rag into a beautiful work of art simply by adding a slightly curving black line and his signature.

In the spirit of Slow, Miró did only what was essential. On the spiritual path, we often try to do so many things, when we only need the essentials of knowledge, devotion and goodness.

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