Walking with Dante & Varo
The waiting backpack in the corner of my room.
As I prepare to leave on my pilgrimage in a few weeks I am not surprised that crumbs left for me to follow have lead me to the book, Dante’s Divine Comedy and the paintings of Remedios Varo. A collaboration of masculine and feminine figures, both seeking greater clarity at the poignant threshold of midlife.
Inferno XXVIII by Gustave Doré
The Divine Comedy is a tome of a book many of us are first introduced to in University. I could not recall much save the imagery of oozing figures rolling around in the torments of Hell. Goodness, why is this calling to me at this time?! His opening line, “Midway in our life’s journey, I went astray from the straight road and woke to find myself alone in a dark wood,” is a line to entice even the most unimaginative sorts. As I discovered all the layers that one can interpret this labyrinth of a story I became all the more curious as to what Dante was trying to share at this monumental moment of his life and what might I glean from his words of wisdom.
I’m moving at a snail’s pace through the levels of Inferno, descending alongside Dante and Virgil, as they move through humanity’s most sinful characters. As I’m walking my dogs I take a moment to imagine how I might translate this text onto a contemporary map. Often chuckling as I envision Walmart situated upon a vortex of bubbling ooze, spiralling down to meet the domain of the most treacherous of sinners, only to find Lucifer waist deep in ice with his 3 faces loudly gnawing on Putin, Trump, and Netanyahu….but I stray…
The interest for me, is the pilgrimage Dante is on, guided by Reason in the form of a poet. His metaphorical passage through layers of uncovering, addressing, and confronting is an important part of his journey. Is this not the ideal moment in life to walk in similar footsteps to uncover, address, and confront one’s own shadows? Somehow make sense of them all and walk into the next half of life a little lighter? Dante is noticing, recording the details, asking questions and looking to those around him. That is what I’ll take with me on my long walk. Dante has now assumed the role of Virgil for me. Although, the thought of carrying this huge book for 700 kms brings to mind a whole new circle of hell and torment. I think the book will stay home.
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Woman Leaving the Psycholanalyst (1960) Remedios Varos
Remedios Varo was brought to my attention through my love of Leonorra Carrington. Both painters ended up in Mexico in the early 1940’s and were considered part of the Surrealist movement. Up until a couple weeks ago I had always assumed Varo was male and I wasn’t as curious about their works as I was with Carrington. Now that I have been corrected I dove deep into trying to understand her curious, androgynous, solitary figures that often are surrounded by symbols of science, alchemy, astronomy, and even motifs from the Tarot. Her individual figures seem to be on mystical quests descending inward, suspended in perspective diagrams or octagonal buildings. Her landscapes are mirrors of the internal and invite you in to scan every detail, wanting to better understand what she’s trying to convey. She too seems to be examining threshold moments as well as challenging ideas of the patriarchy. The surrealist influence is evident and each of her figures, often wearing Varo’s face, reflect a story of an inner journey being undertaken. Her imagery evokes a spiritual connection with hidden meanings and fantastical environments.
The paintings that I lean in to are about a transformation that takes place in solitary moments, when the least expected can occur. Connecting to that place where the mystical and the magical reside. Varo is about a stirring, connection to meaning, and the experience that gets woven into one’s being.
I feel much more confident having this poet and artist as my companions on my pilgrimage. They’ve been here before me, at this threshold of midlife and left clues as to what to notice….what to hold on to…. and what to shed.
