approaching mother's day

[wytchcroft]

i've been thinking about this coming Mother's Day, which is on Sunday in the UK, and this image has been haunting me.




It's from the film Persona by Ingmar Bergman, in fact it is the opening of the movie - with the child in front of a screen hmself there's something science fiction about it, as if a celluloid mother was being used the way iron puppets have been used on monkeys. Something close but unreachable - maybe... maybe, it's hard to pin down exactly why i find it so powerful.

But as Mother's Day approaches and i am aware of many friends who are both mothers AND daughters now - and since i am of the age where i can see through both sets of eyes when it comes to empathising with peoples' family relationships - i think i like this image because it conjures the (often forgotten) ancient sense of Mystery around the maternal, from the Sphinx to the Madonna, yet it does so in a futuristic way.

Comments

[sidherian.livejournal.com]

Lovely.

[vivid-corners.livejournal.com]

*strokes beard and says with best Freud accent*: So how was your relationship with your mother?

;)

What you wrote about this photo was great, I definetely pick up on the sci-fi vibe. Its intimently creepy.

[reginaclarejane.livejournal.com]

I've never seen the film but it is a haunting image.
Our Mother's Day isn't until May 10 here in the States.
:)

[worldof-wonders.livejournal.com]

it is both beautiful and melancholic.

[stoshagownozad.livejournal.com]

oh yes the Mother we can not reach but still could feel She is somwhere here...
tense feeling it is

[alex-kraine.livejournal.com]

Here's the Blessed Virgin, Mother Mary by Vrubel from the altar in St. Cyrill church
Look at those eyes. I am always fascinated by that look full of concern, care, pain.

[svetlana0777.livejournal.com]

So sad image... something about our society.. where mother is just in another world. Where it could be virtual-word in Internet or drugs or parties with friends -- when I first came to America I was shocked! It's different here....

We don't have Mother's Day in Russia we are celebrate The International Women's Day. This present I made for all women:
http://blogger4you.narod.ru/8Marta/Chris_Spheeris.html

[recycledfaery.livejournal.com]

what an amazing image. thanks for posting.

[rebeccawilde.livejournal.com]

Fantastic image! I'm going have to look into this film.

[enter-pin-code.livejournal.com]

her person as person infant

But I did not see this film. And other Bergman's films too :(
I little saw the classical foreign cinema. But has this month looked already 50 films :)))

[neversremedy.livejournal.com]

What an eloquent summary of mystery and motherhood. It's something I've contemplated many times--although I had not seen this film or that image from the film before. Should I pursue motherhood and sexuality as themes in my research at college, I have considered delving into eroticism and motherhood, and this exquisite piece you've written rekindled that line of thought. Thanks. :)