Elke week op vrijdag plaats ik een 'woon' schilderij,
waarop je een woonhuis, of meerdere woonhuizen,
een fijne woonsfeer of een interieur kunt zien.
Ik geniet van huiselijkheid, fijn wonen en thuiskomen.
En zeker ook als dat mooi is verbeeld door een schilder.
Deze keer een illustratie bij een prachtige tekst.
Deze combinatie komt uit de kunstbrief
Warm aanbevolen!
Spyros Vassiliou,
After Dinner at Kostis,
1972
The world begins at a kitchen table.
No matter what, we must eat to live.
The gifts of earth are brought and prepared, set on the table.
So it has been since creation, and it will go on.
We chase chickens or dogs away from it. Babies teethe at the corners.
They scrape their knees under it.
It is here that children are given instructions on what it means to be human.
We make men at it, we make women.
At this table we gossip, recall enemies and the ghosts of lovers.
Our dreams drink coffee with us as they put their arms around our children.
They laugh with us at our poor falling-down selves and as we put ourselves
back together once again at the table.
This table has been a house in the rain, an umbrella in the sun.
Wars have begun and ended at this table. It is a place to hide in the shadow
of terror. A place to celebrate the terrible victory.
We have given birth on this table, and have prepared our parents for burial here.
At this table we sing with joy, with sorrow. We pray of suffering and remorse.
We give thanks.
Perhaps the world will end at the kitchen table, while we are laughing and crying,
eating of the last sweet bite.
Joy Harjo
Wars have begun and ended at this table. It is a place to hide in the shadow
of terror. A place to celebrate the terrible victory.
We have given birth on this table, and have prepared our parents for burial here.
At this table we sing with joy, with sorrow. We pray of suffering and remorse.
We give thanks.
Perhaps the world will end at the kitchen table, while we are laughing and crying,
eating of the last sweet bite.
Joy Harjo
1994