I looked at my right hand, the hand with which I painted. There was power in that hand. Power to create and destroy. Power to bring pleasure and pain. Power to amuse and horrify. There was in that hand the demonic and the divine at one and the same time. The demonic and the divine were two aspects of the same force. Creation was demonic and divine. Creativity was demonic and divine. Art was demonic and divine. The solitary vision that put new eyes into gouged-out sockets was demonic and divine. I was demonic and divine. Asher Lev, son of Areyeh and Rivkeh Lev, was the child of the Master of the Universe and the Other Side. Asher Lev paints good pictures and hurts people he loves. Then be a great painter, Asher Lev; that will be the only justification for all the pain you will cause. But as a great painter I will cause pain again if I must. Then become a greater painter. But I will cause pain again. Then become still a greater painter. Master of the Universe, will I live this way all the rest of my life? Yes, came the whisper from the branches of the trees.
in Chaim Potok's My Name is Ahser Lev
2 comments:
This book fascinated me. It was my introduction to the questions surrounding art and the artist.I should read it again.
I read this book a few years ago and loved it. I finished "The Chosen" last week and loved it as well.
Post a Comment