Ina Lunkenheimer's visit to Chicago, summer 2010
" I am up in the sky…..in any respect of the word I may have !
My eyes touch the fluffy white clouds and I am thrilled by the sight and the thought – I am on my way to Chicago !! I Just have to squeeze myself to make sure I’m not dreaming ! There have been too many obstacles in my way, that I have difficulties believing I really made it !
Though I am still not sure whether Immigration in Chicago airport O’Hare will allow me in since I just learned the night before take off that I would need a visa.
Quite scared I picture myself already like Tom Hanks in the movie “Terminal” where he was not allowed into the U S nor did he have a ticket to go somewhere else and finally had to spend a few month at the Airport.
As I already watch myself at the inner eye searching for a sleeping place in one dark corner at the airport, I suddenly hear a loud voice interrupting my inner –movie shouting at me “Mam – what are you here for ?”
My heart beats like madness. I’m so glad being pushed along in a wheelchair being able to avoid eye contact. I’m scared he would figure out I got this Visa literally in the last minute although you are obliged to get it at least 3 days beforehand. Mine was just a few hours old…and bought at a strange website at horrendous cost. I’m not very good at hiding my feelings…so I just choose to play a little dumb….not understanding the language…
After interrogating me for a while, always getting the wrong answers half in German, he seems to have enough of it…and gives up on me.
Wow – reached the final !!
Shaped by all these experiences, it struck my mind never ever to take anything for granted !
And yes ! Just that mere thought of it made my journey even more incredible appreciated !
What a good lesson for life !
Hardly slept, still in jet leg, I just rushed into the opening of the exhibition ! What an amazing experience ! I flew somehow through it in some kind of “trance” and it was topped in the evening by a moment I will never forget. I was just walking around all these wonderful impressive pieces of artwork when I heard the piano beginning to play. I almost froze – in spite of the heat ! The sound of a familiar piece of music by Brahms, played so emotionally by Ted,brought tears to my eyes and touched my heart so deeply. Music has always been the strongest emotional companion through my life and when I heard this familiar wonderfully played music it felt like someone knew the melody of my heart. Incredibly overwhelming !
Surrounded by “strangers” - it was only my second day in Chicago - it was such an fantastic experience not to feel as an outsider at all. Everyone I talked to was so welcoming warm, open and friendly ! That is what America is unique for !
As I dove into the different tunes of the foreign language, I just realized my vibrant fascination of discovering it. The awareness of the use of the language is extensively higher when it’s not your mother tongue and for me brought an additional aspect of “discovery” to the connecting cultures –theme.
Largely did I enjoy the good conversation with all the different artists I met at the gallery. Marianna, Eric, Sandra, Lewis, Dimitry, Yelena, Ev, Victor, Daniel, Javier, Diego, Helen, Felissia, Amani, Steffi - just to name a few. A thrilling spectrum of the rainbow – from the youngster to the wise-age from all different walks of life with all kind of different cultural background. Not only to talk about the different aspects of the art and ways of persuing it but also about profound ideas over life and the way we’re dealing with universal matters of life.
The opportunity to see part of work life - like my visit to Marianna’s workshop- teaching children to dance with masks – what a remarkable moment ! Or to join in to Javier’s and Diego’s –father and son – holiday time will be a very special memory. I will never forget that electrifying moment - the three of us driving through downtown Chicago sharing all the same “obsession” about photography, passing around one camera !! Everyone saw a different angle and we just pointed out to the things we discovered and tried to get the best possible shot – a flying camera from one hand to the other ! Outstanding thrilling – a complete new way of doing it - wonderful to share !
All together it was a fabulous chance for exchange and gaining insights in the good and difficult sights of life– in other words – the perfect possibility of cultures connecting.
And those are the things I am reflecting on in my artwork. Questions about the discovery of life - the beauty and the struggle, philosophies and thoughts, dreams and desires, pain and frustration.
I try to catch moments of expression and weave them in into a collage…often in a contrast to make the subtle diversity vibrant.
Life is always a constant movement between those two pols. It can be as thrilling as devastating.
To catch a precious fragile moment in a glimpse of light draws me into some kind of magic. It’s an extreme fullfilling passion to get a moment visible and lasting and to be able to weave in the landscape of the soul afterwards. It is a deeply contemplative work, which I am more than grateful for.
To share my thoughts and impressions about my time in Chicago in a written way can’t be enough to mirror the magnificent experience I had. So I created a new collage to get closer to the true meaning of the inspirational energy which I gained through all of you !
Thank you so much !
For me it was a great honor, Marianna, to have been invited to be part of this unique exhibition and enriching experience.
Danke ! "
Ina Lunkenheimer, August 4.2010
