wings

“Who, if I cried out, would hear me among the Angelic Orders?
And even if one were to suddenly
take me to its heart, I would vanish into its
stronger existence. For beauty is nothing but
the beginning of terror, that we are still able to bear,
and we revere it so, because it calmly disdains
to destroy us. Every Angel is terror.”

“The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven. ”

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photographs · diane arbus is best known for her beautiful portraits of marginalized people on the fringes of society, including circus performers.

film · wings of desire by wim wenders is a meditative elegy and ode to our own angels. trapezing over berlin, we’re reminded of the agony and privilege of feeling.

words i · from rainer maria rilke's duino elegies.

song · nick cave's music plays a central role in our film. this song, to be by your side, gives us a birds-eye view of longing from a great distance.

words ii · from john milton's paradise lost—one of nick cave's favorite books.

etchings · these angel works by german expressionist artist paul klee include sketches and etchings. throughout his career klee created 85 angels in various states of mind, the bulk of which were made in berlin.