“I like the thought that what we are to do on this earth is embellish it for its greater beauty, so that oncoming generations can look back to the shapes we leave here and get the same thrill that I get in looking back at theirs – at the Parthenon, at Chartres Cathedral.” – Philip Johnson
I recognised Phillipe Johnson,an architect, Scholar with big glasses who truly easy satisfied being small and enjoyed being at the centre of architecture history. He was under rated by some architect because he couldn’t draw. In his figure, we could see multiple layers which rippled modern architecture and call for discussion. He enjoyed on discussion with young architects like Frank Gehry and Peter Eisenman in his glass house he would encounter perspective which later he saw in another work, and he will encounter it again with another work making one proposition to another proposition. “Mind” was his playground, he often said architect (he is) is a “whore”, I might put “whore” in more positive way that every architect has an obligation to serve society, has also an obligation to form discourse of object in architecture history. I think Philip is like a father or centre or magnet of architecture modern history which he showed examples by encountering many modern works, and culminated it in his own way of thinking, if he thought that architect is a whore,then he was just so humble in knowing our problem as human, he was like elgar with soeil d amour, or sometimes who mimicking Mozart, Bach, Or Chopin when he played his own rhythm. That day was one morning while i was doing teleconference with people in studio ,reviewing studio’s work while we were in Paris at 4 a.m in the morning. While it was 10 a.m in Jakarta. I was so exhausted from our trip to Seville, Spain and we had not recovered yet. In just one serendipity we discussed about the story of Donna the calf which also was discussed on our trip in Bilbao. Donna is a calf who is in a cage in a farmer’s carriage going to a slaughterhouse.He was sad, in prison by his will to be freed. The farmer said ” why are you so sad ?” Donna said “i want to be free like swallow who fly above me, who has free will and laugh, but now i am in prison.” And the farmer continued to share his wisdom about his free will but the carriage is still going to slaugther house.
“Donna Donna”
On a wagon bound for market there’s a calf with a mournful eye. High above him there’s a swallow, winging swiftly through the sky.
How the winds are laughing, they laugh with all their might.Laugh and laugh the whole day through, and half the summer’s night.Donna, Donna, Donna, Donna; Donna, Donna, Donna, Don.Donna, Donna, Donna, Donna; Donna, Donna, Donna, Don.”Stop complaining!” said the farmer, “Who told you a calf to be? Why don’t you have wings to fly with, like the swallow so proud and free?”
Calves are easily bound and slaughtered, never knowing the reason why. But whoever treasures freedom, like the swallow has learned to fly.
I remember My body my mind wondering in one conversation with my wife two days ago In one serendipity she gasped and told me “Love (my name), The calf might represent our body an animal who has desire, instinct to fly free like swallow but it is in prison in body in a way to slaughterhouse which slaughterhouse is a symbol of time, which all of us will face soon or later, the judgement day in this world. Meanwhile the swallow is a symbol of spiritual conscience or probably heaven or hope which we always dream of or wanted to be” And the next questions are, Who the farmer in the song is ?
Probably the farmer is evil inside our heart, or God or even Just someone important to us, who told us spirit of life… Who is swallow anyway, probably everyone with free will or heaven, or just dream or something which is our purpose…. Who is the calf anyway, probably like wise someone in weakness, in prison by his own will,desire to be freed in time to the slaugther house.. And spontanioulsly i asked the people in the studio in front of screen in teleconference, who is the cattle do you think in our studio ? They kept silence and guessing that some of them is the cattle, Suddenly in serendipity I typed in screen which came up with serendipity answer that i have not had in my mind before. It is just the way of Hermeneutics works. a calf is the one who dreams free, who wants heaven for everybody, everyone of us are still learning to be the calf, so do I. but that’s life. Philip was right.
so dream like child, no burden, free like swallow, it’s in our head, think that the heart has its own way to face world. Sunlight comes in, my eyes open. Welcome back dream, long time no see spirit. Thank you so much.
Vocal : Juliana Pramesti Kumalasari Guitar : Ariyo Widiatmoko Recorded at Bajink Studi Video Clip : Belle Nuit Studio ( Yudha and Kabul ) Lighting and dekoration : Ari and iok ( Titus Vianey ) Location : In the Garage at Mertoyudan, Magelang, Jawa Tengah, Indonesia
My Mayonnaise Jar 