Reviews

Her Song of Freedom

Every one of us lives our own life and, amidst all our everyday realities, we tend to forget about our dreams. Yet when we are caught up in a whirl of despair, our dreams gush up to the surface and are converted into a new reality, into a desire for life, into a declaration of love.

When we find ourselves at an existential crossroads, reflected in a loss of certainty about our own existence underpinned by everything we have experienced before or as a hypothesis of the rational and the conscious or even as an energetic and cosmic continuum post mortem, dreams fuse with the survival instinct and impose upon us the will to continue living. They command us to live our life to the fullest.

The reality of the existential past prevails over the hypothetical nothing. And, inevitably, the reality and the dream merge together as one.

The answer to Borges’ crossroads, that is, to the question of how we choose can be discerned from decisions that were made by our self throughout our life. A declaration of love emerges from deep within and helps us rediscover the joys that we often, too often have failed to cherish: the light, the joy of living. 

The works of art of Eminjana (“Emi”) testify to the truth of this assertion. 

Manzoni’s words “twice in the dust, twice on the altar” in his ode not only apply to Napoleon, but also to Emi.

Divine assistance, whether we believe in God’s gift or destiny or not, gave her what is probably a unique chance to live again twice in this dimension.

The dream that surges from the insanity we find ourselves in, with the horrid realisation that what were once our apparent certainties have vanished, is indeed powerful. Such a dream roars from her paintings and floods them with light. The scream of happiness transforms into a colour. Love for life breathes from every one of her art works, conveying the most beautiful and profound message an artist can and must impart.

Emi’s works reveal the absence of melancholy and sadness, of pain and fear, so often seen in the creative works of many artists.

She does not ‘murder the moonlight’, she does not exalt the power and the force of things nor praise physical beauty but searches for the essence of the Creation. 

And so the poverty of everyday life is redressed by the ode to happiness, the burst of love.

The proximity and influence of the artist Miro Peršolja has enabled Emi to find for herself the most suitable means of expression and technical solutions.

A nightingale that has just begun to sing will gradually perfect its skills and owe gratitude to its teacher only for having learned the stave. But if the nightingale is out of tune or does not have a profound message to deliver, its song will not reach any hearts and even the best of teachers will not be of any use. 

Emi carries within herself a truth that is unique and absolute.

A truth that pierces every shield, overcomes every barrier and touches the soul directly. Her colours are intense as are the vibrations of her spirit, her forms are the notes of a harmonious and gentle melody. Regardless of the narration, they become a pretence to achieve the final destination – a fusion of dream and reality. 

When we fly very high, the world seems so small, insignificant, distant, almost petty. We look like ants, but ants also have viruses and maybe viruses have their own viruses….

Emi flies high, but what appeals to the viewer, her magnetism, are the light, the life, God. Her yearning for the divine is manifested so that she takes us, lost in the vanity of everyday life, by the hand and leads us to genuine values. That is an enterprise she can undertake with great ease, as she has found herself at fateful crossroads twice, and twice was given the chance to continue her life in this dimension.

Perhaps that other dimension is infinitely more beautiful, but the certainty of not knowing it makes us prefer the one we live. Strange as it seems, Ancient Greek culture teaches us that a wise man knows he does not know anything. So we may conclude: we are not wise men. And even if we do know something, we surely lack wisdom. 

Emi is an artist and, like with Beethoven, she creates her own 'Ode of Joy' in her every work of art. Her message tells a universal truth and, with her convincing means of expression, she is sending all of us her ‘Song of Freedom’. 

Prof. Antonio Maria Pivetta, art critic

 

Letter of the master Miro Peršolja

At the opening of my solo exhibition in Latisana, Italy, I was surprised when overhearing someone say in Slovenian: “This is my friend Miro”. I looked across to a table laden with exhibition catalogues and to my great delight saw a friend from my younger days, someone I’d not seen for over 30 years. It was a very pleasant surprise for us both. We exchanged a few words and I discovered that his life partner was very talented in painting so I decided to introduce her to the secret of an original painting technique that characterises me. Without even a hint of jealousy, I unveiled to her the diverse range of techniques used, while Emi literally soaked up the knowledge with great attention and feeling. Her imagination, her refined and rich colouring and the newly embraced painting technique had added a new dimension to her paintings. What was most important for me was that I could pave the way for her to become a professional painter. Almost overnight, Emi became a true professional artist, something I am very proud of. She learned from me with dedication and soon came to realise she had within her a creative power of proportions rarely seen in academic painters. Her works are the outcome of her great sensibility, energy, vitality, sensitivity…, her outlook focuses on the future of the world, which is why her paintings evoke a sensation of happiness in the viewer. Emi, I am truly proud I have instilled in you faith and confidence in your own work, in your artistic creativity. I am sure some wise guy will come along who won’t like your paintings. Never mind. Jealousy, envy and malice are parts of our lives, but I can assure you that you are on the right track. It suffices if you pour out your creative power onto canvas. You have entered the world of Slovenian painting and, in the future, you will also be spoken about in the international arena. Listen to yourself, do what you feel and ignore others’ comments.

Your life has not been a bed of roses, but I’m convinced your talent will bring you great joy. This will certainly be the most effective of all therapies. You have finally found what you were looking for. Continue working with your heart, with the great support from your beloved Herman.

With great respect and affection,

Your mentor Miro