A reflective piece after visiting the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University
Jusjess Poetry – Writing My Way Into My Destiny
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Nasher Museum of Art – Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
All my life I have had this common concept floating around in my mind and in my writing: “there’s a fine line between love and hate.”
Yesterday I took one of my sons and my daughter through exhibitions at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University. Once we got to the Love & Anarchy section, my spirit was moved beyond description. It was simply a captivating experience.
Highlighted in the description of this exhibition are well known concepts of love, such as “compassion and affection,” along with the feel of anarchy described as “disarray” and “a state of disorder.”
Not quite my mind’s first thought of jumping right to the word hate when I personally reflect on love, but this description and its connection between love and anarchy brought me a sense of inner peace.
I see this image may be difficult to read, but I do not want to alter images or discredit the museum. I will include a link to the museum webpage at the end of this post for you to browse the exhibitions and their details directly through their site.
“Son, take the stroller. Mama’s gotta take pictures. No camera flash use allowed? Got it!”
As soon as we walked into the Love & Anarchy exhibition, I was stunned by this piece. I told my son to stroll the toddler around. I think I was entering a comfort zone within this museum. Mom doesn’t do too much for herself, but art and writing, well that stays. We did go on to enjoy all of the interactive aspects at this museum. It offers such a close experience that really allows visitors to feel the messages.
The museum’s description of this piece:
If you’ve been following any aspect of my journey, then you may understand why this moved me. But if you are just joining me, allow me to further explain my personal connection to this piece.
“Longing for a home either from the past or present,” speaks volumes to my struggles with reoccurring feelings of detachment. It says here that the artist, Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons, “blurs the lines between the real and the imaginary” with her work. I find that to be a gift that artists and creative beings have. It’s quite pleasant to teeter that line, in my opinion.
The notion of “belonging and longing” speaks to my own habitual ambiguity with feeling as though I belong where I am, in many ways, but I still long for… a deeper sense of belonging that has a way of reiterating feelings of emptiness.
Self-discovery, self-identity, and self-love are like mountains in my life that are exciting and rewarding to continue conquering, but the strenuous climbing is also a tad exhausting.
A Poem in Response to Viewing Nesting III
Tug of war
Leave me alone
But please do stay awhile.
I love but hate but wait.
Do you
See me?
Push and pull,
Trauma finger itching
Glitch-y growth
Clingy comfort.
Here is a link to the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University. I will definitely be a frequent visitor!
Jusjess Poetry – Writing My Way Into My Destiny
Thank you for viewing! Don’t forget to subscribe, let’s connect and interact!
I’d like to note: When I think deeply about concepts of love, hate, and now anarchy, I acknowledge that my challenges do come from interpersonal relationships. But my most challenging moments with concepts of love some from within. No matter the root of my self-love troubles, I have to work diligently to reiterate self-love in my life.
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