Saturday, March 17, 2012

Verde Verde, Que te Quiero Verde

I’ve written about color before, but the topic is so interesting that I wish to write more about it because today is Saint Patrick’s Day and GREEN is EVERYWHERE! In fact, last night, I went out to celebrate a recent milestone, and I thought about my outfit for days! I had to factor in SP day, the rain, the importance of my moment, and still leave my outfit flexible enough for the creative process that I love (the part when I actually put it on, and add/subtract accessories). Lucky for me, I have a beautiful pastel green dress. I dressed, I went, I was happy y tu sabes, vivi un poco!

But this morning I thought a little bit more about the symbolic nature of color and it’s relation to people. After all, color is infused into your gender before you are even born (pink for girls, blue for boys). And in the nascent stages of our nation, leaders spent a great deal of time debating the colors that would go on the flag. The decision has followed us since, and on the 4th of July when our national identity is celebrated,  the combo Red/White/Blue is everywhere!  But of course, we don’t wear red/white and blue. So why do we wear green on Saint Patrick’s Day? And why do people try to wear a certain color (white for example) during demonstrations? And why do we wear black to funerals?

I’d like to observe that I think this unification through color in some ways represents a motion for some greater collective action or consciousness; at least, just for one day or one gathering. Yes, we have the holiday that reminds us of a unique spatial/social/political moment, but there must be an act that comes along with it in order to unify ourselves with it. Nevertheless, there is dimension in this moment. For when I wore green last night, I felt I was having fun and celebrating; but when I was in NYC on Saint Patricks Day (a few years ago), the green in the parade definitely felt like it represented something else. There are plenty of others who have made this observation before; so I will not attempt to claim innovative thought here. I will however, encourage you all to find a green that works! It can be an extremely romantic and soft color. And with that I leave you with one of my favorite poems by Federico Garcia Lorca that begins with the color green…

Verde que te quiero verde.
Verde viento. Verdes ramas.
El barco sobre la mar
y el caballo en la montaña.
Con la sombra en la cintura
ella sueña en su baranda,
verde carne, pelo verde,
con ojos de fría plata.
Verde que te quiero verde.
Bajo la luna gitana,
las cosas la están mirando
y ella no puede mirarlas.
Rest of the poem is here:Verde Verde poem