Days and nights are not completely solitary, here in the Waiting Room. We receive random visits from lost wanderers, stray cats, poets seeking their muse, painters who entered their paintings too deeply and now can’t find their way out, and once Jean-Paul Sartre appeared at the door saying he was suffering from Nausea and could he please have a cup of tea. We thought it might be timely to ask him for his thoughts on the Waiting Room. Jean-Paul finished his tea in silence and then stared intently at the tea leaves in his cup. Peeking over his glasses he muttered, “Being is. Being is in-itself. Being is what it is,” and then he vanished, POOF, in a cloud of smoke that smelled like Gitane cigarettes.
But it’s the Tour Groups who are the most unpredictable and entertaining. They have a schedule but never keep it. They might appear at any hour of night or day in their painted and battered buses. The tourists are mostly a jolly and innocuous lot, always joking, laughing and nudging and always hungry and insatiably thirsty. We feed them, slake their thirst and join in their singing and good-natured banter. However, there are always those who abuse hospitality and pollute the friendly air with snide remarks. Their devious and underhanded presence oozes through the room like a plague ship. We make the sign against the evil eye and walk on.
The Tour Groups enjoy souvenirs and we distribute postcards of the Waiting Room to all. They write on the cards and leave them for us to mail. Communications from here are guaranteed, door to door, always.
Writing and mixed media collage postcard by clinock.
‘The 100′ series was initiated by my 100th Post in April 2012. As text and images are the essence of my blog I will post 100 pieces of textual art from historical and contemporary artists and from my own hand. To view the series to date click on ‘The 100’ in my Category Menu.
Simply wow 🙂 This posting made me feel the Waiting Room with the strangers and Sartre entering and leaving, Felt like heaven 🙂
I am honoured Ina by your comment and by your visit to my heaven in waiting…
The Medieval figures give it a very expanded depth of consideration.
Good Eye Carl – thanks for this…
I like the whole 3D idea you have going here John, from paper collage to evil eyes to buses of tourists arriving and departing. Like theatre in the mind. Both conceptual and real!
Love your perception of this piece Steven, and Theater of the Mind is so perfect – always appreciate your comments…
Ditto what INA said.
Thank you very much Terry…
Your art makes life better. Thank you for that.
What a gracious thing to say Carl – I thank you from my heart…
Afraid not to be clever enough, but I enjoyed the jostle of this Waiting Room. And the drop-in existentialist!
It’s more simple than you think Philippa – happy you enjoyed…
…”Being is what it is” in your sepia art, John!
🙂
Awwww my friend – too kind you are, always – thank you…
Very imaginative art which inspires me, and reminds me a little of Dave Mckean from the Sandman comics. Love this series.
This from you Cheryl honours me beyond expectations – thank you…
You’re welcome 😀
in groups we wander
with attempt to find solitude
wishing and waiting
haiku master Ese
you see deep into this room
where everything waits