End and Gathering (This week's Photo Hunt themes)

As the end of the year draws near, thoughts often turn to one's mortality but also as to what lies ahead in the coming year. Alternatively put, the kind of thoughts that are so well expressed in the poem by Robert Herrick whose opening line many of us were introduced to by Mr. Keating, the inspirational English teacher essayed by Robin Williams in Dead Poets Society.  (No, not "Carpe diem, seize the day" -- but the similar in message "Gather ye rosebuds while ye may...")

A few weeks ago when a couple of friends (including the blogger behind The Fragrant Harbour) and I went to check out Takashi Murakami's Flowers and Skulls exhibition at the Gagosian Gallery, I also got to thinking of Herrick's poem.  I'm not sure if Murakami's familiar with and even inspired by the 17th century Englishman's writings.  But check out the following lines (especially the ones that make up the first stanza) and then consider Murakami's decision to paint flowers and skulls -- sometimes together in the same work:-

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
   Old Time is still a-flying;
And this same flower that smiles today
   Tomorrow will be dying.

The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun, 
   The higher he's a-getting,
The sooner will his race be run,
   And nearer he's to setting.

That age is best which is the first,
   When youth and blood are warmer;
But being spent, the worse, and worst
   Times still succeed the former. 

Then be not coy, but use your time,
   And while ye may, go marry;
For having lost but once your prime,
   You may forever tarry.

On a more prosaic note: if you like the images at the top of this entry for Sandi's and Gattina's Photo Hunts, be sure to check out the Gagosian Gallery's image page for the show (that runs through to February 9, 2013 here in Hong Kong). And yes, I do wish I had better shots from my gallery visit but, as I mentioned on the comments thread for The Fragrant Harbour's entry about the Murakami exhibition and more, I was rather unnerved by the men in black (suits) gathering around in the gallery presumably to make sure that the art on display didn't get stolen or vandalized (but who turned out to be okay with photo-taking)!