( Click to enlarge)
Oskar Kokoschka was an Austrian artist, poet and play writer. I came across him while I was reading a book called "Why we love the way we do" by Preeti Shenoy. Supposedly one of India's leading female writers. Surprisingly what I found most interesting in the book was not the relationship advice (which I do not even require at the moment), but the story of "The bride of the wind".
So, Heres how the story goes; Oskar kokoschka fell madly in love with a widow called Alma. She was his muse, his center of attention and was slowly becoming the center of his universe as well. Things took a bad turn when Oskar began to behave possessively and had to leave Alma during the WW1. When he returned from the war, he found his Alma to have left him for another man. This devastated Oskar to an extent at which he made a life like replica of Alma. He hired a professional mannequin maker and to make her feel life like they used swan skin on the mannequin. Oskar took the mannequin with him wherever he went, to operas, plays, you name it. He even hired house maids to take care of it. It was all great until the day he realized he was unsuccessful in replacing the void Alma had created within his chest. This realization made him behead the mannequin during a party.
The painting was a result of this ache. Oskar kokoshka loved Alma till the day he died. Amazing, isn't it? But you know what I found even more mind blowing? Alma left Oskar for Walter Gropius! YES! The German architect! Bauhaus! Fagus factory! I was amazed by this connection with architecture. The story immediately felt personal! I guess what i took from this incident is "read whatever you get your hands on" the connections will form where they have to.
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