David Rosen describes the power of drawing and/or painting, the healing power of art. The first of an on-going narrative, shot by Lisa Lunskaya the Boston-based artist and curator- shot in natural light- watch the portrait develop in front of your hooded eyes.
i feel a bit vulnerable watching this video and am thinking about pulling it down. I think that what Lisa shot is beautiful, naturally lit and the way it was edited was also spontaneous and natural (I’d asked her to portray in 5 or 6 minutes, edit down– what took half an hour (duration of portrait, including breaks to answer the door and othr things which slip my mind.) Having noted all that, when i was interviewed on friday night on Wbz radio and he (Jordan Rich) asked me to talk about my experience with cancer- i did so because i thought it might do some good- as i really believe that art can heal. even cancer. certainly, something is keeping me healthy (and i’m sure it’s not the crack. or the beetroot. ok no crack- ‘cept in my psyche). Still, i do not in any way want to be seen as using my disease to sell shirts. (i can prostitute my mother for that. OK i can’t because she’s dead. Oddly enough- she died of cancer too. So, if you’re watching mom, take a break from dancing with worms (ok it’s been a while and the worms have been and gone ‘cept for the stragglers and ill of mind) but those ghosts always tell the truth. Would you ask them if this video is gratuitous (not the video- because that’s quite beautifully shot in waning light by Lisa) but the choice to use it as a video-blog…
Feel free to submit your comment. Inappropriate comments relating to necrophelia, entropy or decomposition in general, involving my beautiful ex-mother- always welcome I mean, she’s still my mother. The lights just dulled or was that my brain. i cannot flatter, it was the latter
nice video! captures process and result well. i agree that art heals, and the fact that you want to share art-making as a healing force with others is fabulous. there’s nothing unethical about making money from selling artwork about your cancer experiences – especially when you’re also donating time/energy to teaching others to use art as a healing force.
thanks juliet! I appreciate this. When i was asked about this on the radio the other night (The Jordan Rich show, WBZ Radio)- i felt so naked. When we talked about “facing down your own mortality” i realized that so many of the people listening in have had their lives touched in one way or another by this disease. When I’m at Daner-Faber in the waiting rooms- it feels like a football game- not enough seating for everyone! An epidemic. Over-flowing. Everyone has cancer nowdays it seems?. Or does it just feel like this because I’ve been diagnosed? Apparently not, I hear. Our bodies, like our planet- have had enough. There is no doubt in my mind- that the way i lived played an integral role in my (I’m not going to use the word “demise” as it’s so finite) but, in my story- the narrative of which is still being written. And that‘s where the healing power of art, the power of the mind comes into play. I’d like to believe that i have some control over this, that the story is still in my hands. We’ll see…
EMOTIONAL EVOCATION! ALL ART EVER WAS AND IS.
BEAUTIFUL DRAWING DAVID.
PAINTING HAS ALWAYS BEEN MEDITATIVE TO ME! ITS GREAT TO SEE YOU EVEN IF ITS ON A COMPUTER!
Hi David,
Was just poking around the ole internet and happily stumbled upon your video — well done. Your philosophy is right on. The process is right in line with my own — albeit a totally different result. First thought best thought — no such thing as mistake when you are Thinking Non-thinking. Nada, nada, nada… etc. Your walking your talk and it shows up in your own unique joie di vivre.
Looking forward to your show — so glad to have connected w/ you.
thanx- sooo much Nick- I too enjoy your work- and also your “living-as-process”. If you can’t walk it…then (get stronger shoes- or a bigger blindfold - you strike me as real- and i’m rarely wrong about this/ of course, i’m wrong about many other things (sadly
“view of the canyon”
The Faint. as i was typing these words- was listening to those words/
A job done well on both your parts. Peaceout, ~Lucretia
i feel a bit vulnerable watching this video and am thinking about pulling it down. I think that what Lisa shot is beautiful, naturally lit and the way it was edited was also spontaneous and natural (I’d asked her to portray in 5 or 6 minutes, edit down– what took half an hour (duration of portrait, including breaks to answer the door and othr things which slip my mind.) Having noted all that, when i was interviewed on friday night on Wbz radio and he (Jordan Rich) asked me to talk about my experience with cancer- i did so because i thought it might do some good- as i really believe that art can heal. even cancer. certainly, something is keeping me healthy (and i’m sure it’s not the crack. or the beetroot. ok no crack- ‘cept in my psyche). Still, i do not in any way want to be seen as using my disease to sell shirts. (i can prostitute my mother for that. OK i can’t because she’s dead. Oddly enough- she died of cancer too. So, if you’re watching mom, take a break from dancing with worms (ok it’s been a while and the worms have been and gone ‘cept for the stragglers and ill of mind) but those ghosts always tell the truth. Would you ask them if this video is gratuitous (not the video- because that’s quite beautifully shot in waning light by Lisa) but the choice to use it as a video-blog…
I mean, she’s still my mother. The lights just dulled or was that my brain. i cannot flatter, it was the latter
Feel free to submit your comment. Inappropriate comments relating to necrophelia, entropy or decomposition in general, involving my beautiful ex-mother- always welcome
nice video! captures process and result well. i agree that art heals, and the fact that you want to share art-making as a healing force with others is fabulous. there’s nothing unethical about making money from selling artwork about your cancer experiences – especially when you’re also donating time/energy to teaching others to use art as a healing force.
thanks juliet! I appreciate this. When i was asked about this on the radio the other night (The Jordan Rich show, WBZ Radio)- i felt so naked. When we talked about “facing down your own mortality” i realized that so many of the people listening in have had their lives touched in one way or another by this disease. When I’m at Daner-Faber in the waiting rooms- it feels like a football game- not enough seating for everyone! An epidemic. Over-flowing. Everyone has cancer nowdays it seems?. Or does it just feel like this because I’ve been diagnosed? Apparently not, I hear. Our bodies, like our planet- have had enough. There is no doubt in my mind- that the way i lived played an integral role in my (I’m not going to use the word “demise” as it’s so finite) but, in my story- the narrative of which is still being written. And that‘s where the healing power of art, the power of the mind comes into play. I’d like to believe that i have some control over this, that the story is still in my hands. We’ll see…
EMOTIONAL EVOCATION!
ALL ART EVER WAS AND IS.
BEAUTIFUL DRAWING DAVID.
PAINTING HAS ALWAYS BEEN MEDITATIVE TO ME! ITS GREAT TO SEE YOU EVEN IF ITS ON A COMPUTER!
thank you KenDean! Let’s hang soon. When you leaving?
Hi David,
Was just poking around the ole internet and happily stumbled upon your video — well done. Your philosophy is right on. The process is right in line with my own — albeit a totally different result. First thought best thought — no such thing as mistake when you are Thinking Non-thinking. Nada, nada, nada… etc. Your walking your talk and it shows up in your own unique joie di vivre.
Looking forward to your show — so glad to have connected w/ you.
Best
Nick
thanx- sooo much Nick- I too enjoy your work- and also your “living-as-process”. If you can’t walk it…then (get stronger shoes- or a bigger blindfold
- you strike me as real- and i’m rarely wrong about this/ of course, i’m wrong about many other things (sadly 
“view of the canyon”
The Faint. as i was typing these words- was listening to those words/