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Posted on September 12, 2008 at 5:30pm — 9 Comments

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zaninon
The work of the institute still carries on today, but by now most of the people who had personal contact with Gurdjieff are no longer living.
I first had contact with the institute in 1968 and so I was privileged to have met a number of the people who knew Gurdjieff personally and a few who worked at the Institut Gurdjieff (Paris) with Madame de Salzmann such as Paul Reynard who died in 2005 at age 78. Mr. Reynard was also a renowned artist in addition to being a teacher of the sacred dances. He was a student of Mr Gurdieff as a young man in 1947.
I was privileged to be given movements instruction by Mr. Reynard along with a number of people on a couple of very fortunate occasions when he visited Los Angeles. The Gurdjieff institute worldwide was directed by Madame de Salzmann and she was in close contact with branches of the institute throughout the world and in London, New York, San Fransisco and Los Angeles all through the years following Gurdjieff's death until her own demise in 1990.
Paul Reynard can be seen performing the sacred dances, or Movements, in the Film based on Gurdjieff's book, "Meetings With Remarkable Men". the film was directed by Peter Brook, who was a student of one of Gurdjieff's students.. The Movements performances were filmed in the late 1970's in Paris, I believe, under the supervision of Madame de Salzmann.
I realize that this rather long, drawn-out accounting of the history of the institute all sounds rather impersonal in contrast to your very emotionally heart-felt account of your own experience, but over the years, I've personally had many experiences as a result of my exposure to this teaching and those connected with it that has touched my heart and soul as well, and what you've said in so few words resonates deeply within me.
The DVD of the film, "Meetings With Remarkable Men " is available online at:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B000DZA3XG/ref=dp_olp_0?ie=UTF8&condition=all
There is also a wonderful interview with Mr. Reynard on the subject of ART via this link:
http://www.janerosen.com/press/reynard.
I've looked at more of your work. I like how you've used your own face for many of your portraits in an intriguing variety of compositions.
--It almost looks "Art Nouveau" except that it also has a certain ethereal quality to it.
I also find much of your work very compelling. I recognise one of your portraits in the series "Faces" as G.I. Gurdjieff, someone whose teaching I have studied over the years.
Take a look at my page, I've added two new works.
warm regards,
RS Yorke
India
Regards,
Mona
Thank you for sharing the story of this beautiful shot you took of the swan. And I am glad that my "white swan" painting inspired you. After all, nature inspires us all and we see objects sometimes different ways or similar!
It is digitally done, or after you worked on digitally then painted it as well!
Your colors are very lively and attractive. bravo
Best wishes
Mona
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