Empty

empty
Originally uploaded by udge.

I treated myself to a morning off, because the day was just so fine: warm, sunny, clear blue sky for the first time in weeks. After breakfast under the chestnut trees at the Café Eberhard, I went to the Staatsgalerie - and discovered that they are renovating. Almost the whole building, old and new, is closed off and emptied out. Most rooms have been emptied of paintings, the hanging wires still dangle forlornly and the wall plaques remind one of what is missing. Other rooms (like this one) have collections of empty frames to put one in mind of John Donne Milton ("they also serve who only stand and wait").

I found it absolutely fascinating and wanted to photograph the scene, but the jobsworth mentality of the watchers defeated me: no photography means no photography, even when there is nothing to be photographed. A very tricky philosophical issue!

So I have formally applied for permission to photograph the empty rooms. We shall see. I confidently expect that (a) the issue will not be decided before my holiday; further (b) that it will in fact be decided in my favour; however (c) not until the wires and plaques too have been taken down thus rendering the whole exercise void.

And now, to bed. I have set the alarm for 4:45 to take part in a group sit tomorrow morning.