Chapter 68 (2) - The Mysterious Art Museum
"Yes, I know him. The mysterious pianist who suddenly disappeared one day."
Nam Soo-hyun vanished at the peak of his youth and prominence.
No one knows where he went.
I heard from his friends that after traveling to Norway, they lost contact.
Irina continues.
"When he performed at the Chopin competition, a renowned poet was moved by his music and wrote a poem."
"Did that happen?"
"It was a big topic in Poland."
"I should look it up."
"I'll tell you about it."
Irina sits straight on the piano bench and closes her eyes. Then, she recites a poem.
I was suffering for a long time.
I realized I loved you a bit too late.
I didn't know.
The moment I realized love
Could be such a painful day.
Just before arriving at the beautiful island right before my eyes,
In the rain, in the storm, feeling alone.
There's no avoiding, no escaping,
Love that I crashed into with my bare body.
Giving up breeds obsession.
Giving up breeds pain.
The moon breeds loneliness.
Knowing it's a love that won't turn to me,
I still think of you alone, steadily.
If you, who hold the starlight in your eyes,
Are thinking of me now,
It wouldn't be so overwhelming, would it?
A time that never came from the beginning,
At this dark and darker lakeside,
I only watch you leaving,
Opening a door of light that doesn't shine on me,
Muttering the only trite phrase I know, alone.
I love you.
The scent left in Chopin's music by a world-famous pianist's performance is felt through the poem.
The pain of love that exists in everyone's heart.
Love is said to be a beautiful journey like a miracle, and a brave adventure.
But there are always those who never take on the journey or adventure, lacking the courage at the moment.
Similarly, we also have memories where we couldn't say a proper word in front of someone we love in our hearts, no matter how much we try to muster courage.
The emotions I felt in the music and the poem resonate.
I nod my head vigorously.
"If I had written a poem, I might not have left such a beautiful one, but I think I would have written about similar emotions."
Irina smiles gently. But wait. Then, how amazing is Irina who recreated Chopin's emotions left by such an incredible pianist? No wonder she's called the best.
Without realizing it, I blurt out the words in my heart.
"Irina is an amazing pianist."
Oops, what nonsense did I just say.
I said it as if I'm acknowledging something so obvious.
I hope she's not offended.
I sneak a glance at Irina.
Fortunately, she seems pleased.
Irina turns her gaze to the ceiling painting and says.
"You are also a wonderful painter."
Wow, even if it's just a serviceable comment, it feels really good to hear it from a world-class pianist.
I wish I had recorded it.
No, then I wouldn't know that Irina said it, so it would have been a treasure for generations if I had captured it on video.
Irina looks at my painting and says.
"Color is the keyboard, the eyes are the hammers, and the soul is the piano with many strings."
I raise my eyebrows at Irina's words.
What she just said.
It's because that was a phrase by the painter Wassily Kandinsky who tried to capture music on canvas.
'She knows about art, too.'
Many know the name of the famous painter, but few know the words he left. She must have had a great interest in art. Maybe that's why Minyoung asked me to explain the paintings.
Irina simplified it, but Kandinsky's statement is actually longer.
"Our hearing of colors is so precise. Color directly influences the soul. Color is the keyboard, the eyes are the hammers, the soul is the piano with many strings. The artist is the hand that, by touching this or that key, sets the soul vibrating automatically. The harmony of colors has the ability to touch the human soul directly based on the principle."
Kandinsky, an abstract painter, was deeply moved by the performance of Austrian composer Arnold Schoenberg in 1911, forming a friendship and attempting to paint his music. Kandinsky's paintings are still loved today.
I smile and say,
"Do you like Kandinsky?"
She must if she memorized it.
But surprisingly, Irina shakes her head.
"I don't really like abstract art."
"Ah."
That's possible.
There's a saying that beginners look for the paintings of the past.
Abstract art, a current trend in modern art, is difficult to understand.
I'm one of those people, too. That's why I understand Irina's feelings.
"It's not just Kandinsky who painted music. There's Klimt, too."
Irina seems to already know as she says,
"You mean the Beethoven Frieze."
"Yes."
"It's a pity, if Klimt had known Chopin then, he might have left his music in paintings too.
Hmm? That's not quite right.
Klimts admiration for Beethoven wasnt just due to a simple appreciation of music. The golden knight overcoming physical flaws. Klimt praised Beethoven because he embodied the ideal artist that Klimt's philosophy spoke of.
Irina is a hardcore fan of Chopin.
Its not a good idea to correct her mistaken belief.
It's like insulting BTS in front of the Army.
If you dont want to be stoned, better keep your mouth shut.
Just then, as if a lightbulb appeared over Irina's head, contemplating the words she had just uttered, I noticed her face brighten.
Seemingly struck by a good idea as she alternated her gaze between my face, the ceiling painting, and the piano, Irina clapped her hands once and exclaimed,
"That's it! You should be the one to paint it!"
Huh? Paint what?
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