The Namesake

In the studio, work in progress

Yesterday my husband Kyle and I spent the evening in the garage which I use as my studio. A few days ago he started reading for us “The Namesake” by Jhumpa Lahiri - who wrote “Interpreter of maladies” which Kyle offered me when it came out and which I adored. The nights are warmer and it is the time of the year when it is nice again to spend time in the evening in the studio. We stayed there together, him reading and me painting.

I listened to that arrowing story about exile, being away from the family and trying to adapt to another culture. Ashima and Ahoke, a couple from Calcutta who comes to the U.S. have a child and they name him Gogol after one of Ashoke’s favorite Russian authors. “Read all the Russians, and then reread them,” his grandfather had said. “They will never fail you”.

Jhumpa Lahiri has a very touching way to describe everyday life situations. The words are delicate although the story which is unfolding is heartbreaking. While listening I was working on a portrait of Kyle and I. It is still the background and because I proceed by layers, there is nobody on the canvas yet. But it is moving to listen to the story of that couple, to listen to Kyle who reads a story to us and to paint something related to our story together.

And I really like to listen to Kyle’s voice! I cannot wait to hear the next chapter…