“The difference between justice and forgiveness: To be just is to condemn the fault and, because of the fault, to condemn the doer as well. To forgive is to condemn the fault but to spare the doer.” — Miroslav Volf
A Note From International Arts Movement
Perhaps it’s the humidity or the fact that I’ve been on six flights so far this summer and still have another eight to go, but I am feeling tired. We are living in a strange in-between: in some parts of the country, the virus continues to wreak havoc. In others, it’s a relic of the past. Traveling by plane means a lot of mask-wearing still, and I am truly thankful that I haven’t gotten sick yet. I’m also thankful for vaccines and medicine, although I am sympathetic to those that have legitimate hesitancy about the vaccine.
In college, I had a professor who reminded us daily that the day was “given not promised.” I’ve held on to that adage, particularly in times like these. In a matter of moments, our world seemed to turn itself upside down and we all found ourselves wondering when things would return to normal. Now, some of us are experiencing some version of “normalcy” again, although we still can’t shake the grief and pain and confusion of the last eighteen months.
I’ve come to the conclusion recently that we are not meant to emerge unscathed from the events of the past. In other words, the worst of the pandemic might be over, but we are still dealing with it. For some of us, it means trying to get rid of weight accumulated during lockdown. For others, it means adjusting to going back to the office after months of working from home. As humans, we are not meant to move flawlessly from one place to another. We are embodied beings, and, as such, we carry with us pieces from the past.
It’s been harder than I thought to assimilate back to “normal” life post-pandemic. I’m busier than I was before, but I’m more tired. I miss the concentrated family time of the early pandemic days, but I don’t miss the fear or anxiety or worry. I do know that we can live amidst both joy and sorrow, pain and rejoicing. Part of being human is learning to take the fragments of the past and mend them into something beautiful in the future — the very definition of kintsugi, and a hallmark of the culture care movement.
Blessings from D.C. —
Molly
A Note From Makoto Fujimura, Founder of IAM Culture Care
This September, I will be exhibiting at Highline Nine Gallery in the splendid Hudson Yard area of Chelsea, New York City. The executive director of the gallery, Christina Maxwell, came to see me at the opening of Morpeth Gallery this May (see Ally’s report from last month’s newsletter on this exhibit), which came as a quite a surprise to have someone of that type of influence coming to a small local exhibit. As we planned the Morpeth exhibit, we were not quite sure if the opening can even happen, so to see many local supporters come in person was deeply gratifying for both Haejin and me. Even a small, local exhibit can hold much promise today, as the gallery scenes have changed quite at bit in the age of Instagram and Zoom.
Since this is the 20th Commemoration of 9⁄11, my exhibit will be called “Re-Membrance”, exhibiting three new pieces “Columbines”, “Waterflames” and “Walking on Water” series. We also remember the 10th anniversary of 3/11/11, and the WHO announcement of the Pandemic a year ago on 3⁄11. I will be having two exhibits in a span of four months at Highline Nine, in a unique, innovating combination of Real Estate, Design and Art, a new wineskin model for a New York Gallery. My December exhibit will be “Re-Sonance”, looking ahead to our post-Pandemic journey.
We will be relaunching Kintsugi Academy (2.0) on 9⁄11 at Highline Nine Gallery as well. We will be training our leaders toward Culture Care and becoming Peace-makers in the process. Haejin, our president, will keep you abreast of future activities.
To “remember” is to reconnect, to “re-member”. May our summer be one to prepare for the hard work of reconnecting the scattered, and to find healing in the process.
Blessing from Princeton,
Mako
Web Links
- Our friends at Comment Magazine always put out great work. They’ve just introduced their summer issue, focused on the idea of embodiment. Learn more here.
- “Fighting for justice in a broken world sometimes feels like trying to sink a goal that’s out of reach.” Sandra McCracken writes eloquently about what it feels like to strive for justice while recognizing the shortcomings of our time on earth.
- Jocelyn Bell changed science forever, but her accomplishments are just now being recognized.
- Jennifer Frey writes about the sacred nature of baseball in a recent issue of Image Magazine.
- Register for the Common Good Conference in Nashville in October, where Mako will be a featured speaker.