Tilda Swinton is a hermit.

This article talks about Tilda Swinton's latest installation of her performance art piece on random days at the MOMA. It's called "The Maybe", and Swinton sleeps in a glass box. Public solitude, indeed! Check it out!

James Castle

Here are some links to resources on James Castle, the artist I was talking about this afternoon. Here is a trailer for the documentary about him. Here is a page devoted to his story. Here is info on the documentary.

The show I saw is at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. You should check it out, in your copious free time.

Young hermits

Children photographed with their prize possessions.

"Film" and Rilke

At Mark's suggestion, I've been watching "Film" by our good friend Beckett for inspiration for my hermit work indoors:

I think it's truly compelling and resonates with my work and with our work as a whole. While Rilke-reading, the first part of his "To Lou Andreas-Salomé" (translation Edward Snow, 2009) reminded me of the themes in "Film".  I've recently been using it in my indoor work (as some of you already know).

To Lou Andreas-Salomé

I.
I held myself too open, I forgot
that outside not just things exist and animals
fully at ease in themselves, whose eyes
reach from their lives' roundness no differently
than portraits do from frames; forgot that I
with all I did incessantly crammed
looks into myself: looks, opinion, curiosity.
     Who knows: perhaps eyes take shape in space
and watch intently. Ah, only as it plunges down to you
does my face cease being on display - grows
into you and twines on darkly,
endlessly, into your sheltered heart.