Writing for Fun
It Happened In The Gallery - Diane Silverston
November 2014
Judith was sitting alone in the centre of the room. Sitting almost motionless and just staring. Staring intently at the wall in front of her. What was it meant to be? It didn't seem to have any real shape or form. The painting was full of coloured splodges and dark diagonal lines. Was there a message, a story hidden there? Judith was confused. She loved art, but preferred something more tangible, less abstract.
'Fascinating isn't it? Such movement.' A voice broke into her thoughts and shook Judith out of her stillness and back to reality.
'Absolutely marvellous use of just four colours,' went on the voice.
Judith looked again at the painting opposite her. Yes just four colours, she hadn't really taken that in before. Four colours but different shades. Why? It still didn't make much sense.
'You can just see the story unfolding,' the voice came again. A young man's voice. Judith looked to her right. Yes, a very young man. Twenty five perhaps?
Judith smiled at him, 'You understand what this picture is about? I have to say it just confuses me. It's very abstract, nothing really there to tell you the story.'
'You're joking! Just look at it again and concentrate on the movement of the colours.'
Judith looked again. Yes it did have shades of colour moving across, but she still couldn't understand the meaning.
'I'm not sure I know what you mean. What am I really looking for?' she asked the young man.
'Well, look at the top left corner. What do you see and what happens as you move your eye down and across?'
'A very pale blue splodge that gets darker.'
'Now look at the top right corner and do the same.'
'A very pale pink splodge that gets darker.'
'What happens when they meet?' asked the young man.
'Oh yes. They join and become a dark purple.'
'Exactly. Then as you go down what happens?'
'The purple becomes lighter. Goodness then it separates and a light blue goes to the left and a light pink goes to the right.'
'Now you're seeing the story.'
'But what is the story?' Judith was still confused. She could see the colours mixing and separating, but why?
'It's the story of life and family. The light blue is a baby boy that grows into a man. The light pink is a baby girl that grows into a woman.'
'And when they meet . . .' Judith suddenly saw the point, 'they become a couple and so turn purple.'
'Absolutely right. Now look again. What happens next?'
'The light purple comes when they have offspring. Light blue for a boy and light pink for a girl. How clever. But why the dark diagonal lines?' Judith was eager to know more now.
'Did you count them? Did you notice the way they were slanting?'
'There seem to be seven each side, but pointing towards the centre.'
'Seven ages of man and the two lives coming together.'
Judith was up on her feet nearer the wall, once again staring intently. She turned and looked again at the young man, still sitting on the bench in the gallery.
'How do you know all this?' she asked.
'Well my wife Jo painted it. I'm the blue and she is the pink. We married three years ago.'
'And the children?'
'Yes, twins, one boy and one girl.'
'How lovely. Thank you for spending time explaining it to me. Tell your wife I didn't understand it at first, but now I can really see what she was feeling when she painted it. So clever and you're right, such movement.'
'I'm glad you like it now.'
'Yes I do. Especially as I had twins, one boy and one girl, many years ago. They're grown up and live abroad. Unfortunately I lost my husband three years ago. He loved art and that is why every week I come here and look at a different painting.'
I'm sorry about your loss, you must miss him and the children. I'm glad you find enjoyment in the gallery. Perhaps we'll meet again one day?'
'I'd like that. What's your name?'
'Pierre,' replied the young man.
'How strange. My husband's name was Peter.' Judith whispered.
