Kadenza

Samuel Prout

Maya Hiort Petersen

Artist's Website

Maya Hiort Petersen, Migraine, acrylic painting (20" x 20"), 2005. © 2005 Maya Hiort Petersen (http://www.absolutearts.com/portfolio3/l/lillepetite/Migraine-1109573026l.jpg, May 25, 2005)

"Description: I had the most terrible migraine one day. I used to get them quite often. This one in particular, was the first I had endured in many many months. I had to go home early from work. I could barely see. I was sick for 12 hours straight, unable to stand or bare even the smallest amount of light or sound. After I slept, I found myself feeling strangely creative. I could barely keep my head up, but this painting, (which kept me up nearly all night, and the following day,) is what came out of me. The devil, is my favorite part, the demons which gnawed at my head the hours before."

(From the artist's website at absolutearts.com, May 25, 2005)

"hello there Klaus, this is Maya, I received your e-mail just now, and am flattered that you would like to use my painting. I will have to think of something to write about it. I can tell you right now, that I used to suffer from migraines quite frequently and the older I get the less often I have them.

The day I had the migraine that gave me this painting, I was at work in the framing store. I started to see the typical spots starting on the sides of my eyes. I knew right away what was coming, a few moments later, I couldn't barely see for spots and knew I had about twenty minutes to get home and lay down with a cloth on my face. I went in to my apartment which had wall to wall, waist to ceiling windows, the hell of those windows at that moment. I got my sunglasses, a cold wet towel and lay down for the next eight or nine hours. It was a headache to remember, all you can do is hope that sleep comes to you quickly. When I woke up from my half sleep, it was very early in the morning. I had this weird need to paint. The apartment building was still and the morning light was beautiful. I took out my supplies, and started to draw and paint, and all these demons and monsters came out. Suddenly all sorts of strange characters wanted into my painting. I had never painted monsters before, which is strange because it is a theme which often comes to me now.

When I looked at the painting, after many hours of sitting half naked, still in my bathrobe, it was the migraine I knew had painted this painting. These demons and monsters, I knew they were the monsters in my head, that needed to come out. It's strange to talk about, it only happened that once, that I painted such a thing after a migraine.

Like I said, I don't get them very often anymore, only a few times a year. I am lucky, I know there are millions who suffer unimaginably every day...

I don't know if this helps at all, but please, do use my image, I would be honoured!"

(Email to Klaus Podoll, May 26, 2005)

Author: Klaus Podoll
Last modification of this page: Monday August 01. 2005

Kadenza

Samuel Prout

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