The Gallery

(Flash Fiction)

Hello and welcome to the Gallery. As you see these are the landscapes over here. And these the portraits. Both have their interest, but I think we’ll start with the landscapes. This particular room contains the landscapes of Retreat from Physical Pain. It’s not the largest of the rooms in the Hall of Retreat, but it’s probably the most enjoyable. Retreating from physical pain (without opioids, that is) requires quite a lot of concentration and so most of these landscapes are quite detailed and may even include music or sounds.

Notice this first one – it could almost be a photograph, of some hills above a vineyard in California. The golden colour of the grass, the vivid green of the oak trees, and sunlight glinting off the water droplets from the distant irrigation. If you listen you can hear the faint strains of a recorder playing “The Gypsy Rover.” It’s quite lovely, and soothing. You find your breathing slows and you could rest here for quite some time. It’s called “Two ton truck meets 14 year old body.”

Next is the view out a window, called “Bone Bruise with Postpartum Depression.” Interesting in its use of colour and light. The view out the window is mostly of a very large tree with small bright yellow leaves. Note that, unlike some of the landscapes in the gallery, this is a close- up view. But the colour is quite joyful and it’s echoed in the way the artist has portrayed the light. Here, the sounds you’ll hear, if you wait for them, are birdsong. (I’m told it’s a cardinal, but I’m not entirely sure.) I think you’ll agree that the whole effect is quite uplifting.

The last of these that I’d like to show you is unique, I think, in this or any other collection. We’ve chosen to house it in a separate room and I think you’ll understand why, when you’ve had a look. Go ahead. I’ll give you a moment then join you.

I expect you’re wondering why we’ve included this among the landscapes as there really isn’t any land to be seen. I can assure you we contemplated that for some time. In the end, we felt it made for a very satisfying conclusion to this exhibit. At first glance I’m sure you noticed only that it’s blue. A lovely shade of blue, but there’s nothing to hold the interest, especially. The longer you look, though, the more you find yourself drawn in and you begin to notice that the colour fluctuates – midnight sky, twilit sky, ocean, lake, eyes, blue jeans. But what always astonishes those who’ve never seen this work is the effect on sound. Not noticeable when you first walk in, and not, obviously, as I stand here talking to you, but sound gets entirely absorbed to the point where, if you let the work draw you in, you experience absolute silence. Extraordinary. This one is titled simply, “Pain.”