Untitled (Gossip), Jim Dine, 1970-71
collage, mixed media, 60" x 40"
Dear Broken Hearted,
This is your day, actually, because although we have promoted this façade of celebrating love between two people, we must acknowledge the shadow side, the obverse, the un-love between two people. In fact, I'd wager that Valentine's Day, on the individual level, is focused much more on the un-love, the end of love, and the love that never was, than whatever the other kind is. Consider one of the messages in evidence: Be mine. This is really an entreaty, a statement of longing.
Still, you won't find me giving up on telling people that I love them; so this pair of songs for today is dedicated to the ones feeling the un-love, and I send it SWAK.
