Big, Blue $43.8 million Newman “Zip” Painting On the 8 th of October, a lift technician at a museum in the Netherlands mistakenly threw away a piece of artwork made to look like two empty beer cans. Last year, the infamous artwork consisting of a banana duct-taped to a wall was eaten by a hungry visitor to a gallery in Seoul, South Korea. Last month, I went to an art gallery and convulsed my face in disdain at the random blobs of paint that covered the canvases on the high walls. Modern art can be quite the sore spot for us connoisseurs. The painful abstract paintings, novels of base vocabulary, CGI drowned movies and music made on one beats app with auto-tune or nonsense lyrics physically hurt. I know I sound like your grandmother here, but bear with me when I ask you; how do you feel when you see a plain canvas covered entirely in blue paint? What emotions does a blue rectangle evoke? To me, none. But what if I told you that rectangle sold for almost $44 million? You’d probably a
Thomas Edward Lawrence was born an Englishman on 16th August 1888 and grew up to become an archaeologist, army officer to the rank of Colonel, a diplomat, writer and a brilliant warrior. This spectacular array of his life makes him my favourite figure in history. His role is often unfortunately overlooked.
My interest in him began during my continuing study of World War I when I started on the Ottoman Empire, I came across the Arab Revolt and developed the desire to learn all about it.
Consequently, I watched the 1962 film 'Lawrence of Arabia'. Enchanted by its depiction of Lawrence's experiences in the Ottoman Empire during the first world war and the charismatic Peter O'Toole playing Lawrence, I knew it was to be good. With the brilliant direction of David Lean, production of Sam Speigel, talented cast including our Zia Moheyuddin and absolutely breath-taking cinematography. It is one of the best and essential films in the world of cinema. Lawrence of Arabia is an indisputably perfect film. Culturally, historically, aesthetically vital.
It turned out to impact me immensely; to the point Jean Luc-Godard or Raj Kapoor films did. Less than a week later, I had in my hands 'Seven Pillars of Wisdom'; his autobiography. A most spectacular book.
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Peter O'Toole as Lawrence and Anthony Quinn as Auda Abu Ta'i in the film Lawrence of Arabia (1962) |
The Arab Revolt began in June 1916, with the great risk that the Ottoman forces would advance along the Red Sea and capture Mecca. Lawrence was sent to Hejaz on a mission to gather intelligence.
In the film, the beginning is with Lawrence's death, it cuts to his memorial at St Paul's Cathedral where a journalist tries to get statements about this enigmatic warrior, then moves back to Lawrence in World War I as a Lieutenant in the British Army. General Murray and Mr Dryden of the Arab Bureau (fictional but a blend of many figures involved) are each other's company. Dryden sends Lawrence to see how the land lies in Prince Feisal's revolt against the Turks.
Dryden briefs him about his mission and warns him of the struggles and dangers. Their dialogue beginning with Lawrence's reply follows:
"Oh, thanks Dryden, this is going to be fun.''
"Lawrence, only two kinds of creatures get fun in the desert, Bedouins and Gods and you're neither of them. Take it from me, for ordinary men it’s a burning fiery furnace."
"No Dryden, it's going to be fun."
"It is recognised, that you have a funny sense of fun."
Every dissectible part of this scene was simply perfect. Lawrence's 'funny sense of fun' clung with me like a fly in a Venus Flytrap. I was in a time of turmoil myself; hopelessness and fear of great challenges were my daily diet. I too wanted to have that attitude. I needed inspiration desperately. Lawrence served as the companion in an arduous journey that laughs and picks on you every time you lapse or lag, yet you still respect and follow him. But usually, he needn't bother; for I myself looked upon him as the man who walked 1100 miles for a thesis study in his student years, the man who crossed the sun's anvil on camel, who went on his own to tribal Arabs and became their commander, destroyed Ottoman railways, defeated them and established the Arab National Council. He made peace and war. The legend that was all true. The scene of him flowing his robes while walking on a Turkish train just crashed and looted looped in my mind.
His character is portrayed beautifully. Lawrence is a victor warrior and a tragic personality simultaneously. This exploration of his personality is carried out in the film as he did himself in Seven Pillars. By the end, he is a hero, a felon and a victim.
In the film, Sharif Ali professes to Lawrence:
"For some men, nothing is written unless they write it."
I began to believe that at a time I felt failure was written for me. Not only do I find Lawrence inspirational and interesting in his professional life; his courage, valour and vigour are most desirable qualities. It is comforting to remember that he was a real man, born with no silver spoon and had many distresses. He was an enigma. Happy and unhappy, most certainly troubled.
The latter of his life i.e., after the war was the demonstration that after enduring such tragedies, one doesn't last very long. At least not in an utterly sane or peaceful way. Because a war may end but the war it begins in you latches on. His war with himself didn't end until his sad death on 19th May 1935 by an accident on his beloved motorcycle. Some dub it as a tragic waste but I never saw it that way. It was the gradual extinguishing of a flame on a candle-wick. Beautiful in its own sense.
A tragic hero deserves more recognition. T.E. Lawrence was deeply human. To study him is to study the fibres of a man and how far he can go. You could consider him another experiment of God.
Marvellous piece of writing!
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