the blueshift journal

This poem is part of an ekphrastic study of the figurative paintings of the Norwegian artist Odd Nerdrum from the time period of 1983-2005.

​

"I have painted the young man, he who

existed before Narcissus... what existed

before the myth, what happened earlier...!"

Odd Nerdrum

 

The soldier widens his face an extra inch

by dipping it in a waterhole. It's difficult

to drink water and gaze at one's

reflection at the same time.

 

Survival or vanity?

 

The distortion is profoundly relieved

that the soldier does not reposition nor

lift his head up.

 

Perception matters here as the face has

the ability to wring out of proportion, to

become more of itself.

 

The body must cooperate with

insolence. To cut survival and vanity in

halves. This is one method of instilling

contemptuous solemnness on the

waterhole. Even the rifle is seduced to

imitate.

 

Modernity will later inculcate the face to

wheel itself out of the waterhole. After

all, the face has a flat tire and is

drowned in murkiness.  

 

Above the soldier, a hole is carved out of

sky. It's believed by some that the face is

a lonely place to be. As Narcissus will

demonstrate later down the road, one

can be vain and still maintain a distance

from death.

 

All of this symbolism is getting to be too

much: for the painting, for the

observers, for the painter.

 

No fluid angels have parked their wings

on the ground in support of this self. It's

clear that his calculating body is finished

with clear intention: he wants his face to

sink deeper into his reflection.

 

There is no retreating after this.