The commentator says, “know that we have framed the question?” I ponder his words understanding he is alluding to bringing focus and highlighting the issue at hand. But I have wandered away from his words, thinking about the concept of framing. Now “don’t cry for me Argentina,” but as I write I am sitting looking out on to the Atlantic Ocean, the tide is coming in, the surf is being pounded by waves, and I am as mellow as one can be. I want to “frame” this moment. The frame sets it off from any distraction. The frame makes us notice the moment, it doesn’t change the moment, but it changes the way we perceive the moment.
Art which we say “mirrors life” is about framing. Framing asks us to pay attention. From simple poetry to complex novels the key to Literature is to get the reader to pay attention to the simple and the sublime. Great literature frames the subject by causing us to pay attention to the world and all that dwells therein, thereby causing us to pay attention to ourselves and all that dwells therein. Great paintings often have frames that focus our attention on the artist’s works, and often the artist frames part of his/her painting as well drawing our attention to a face, or hands, or a particular object. We are drawn to that face and captured by the image.
Let’s let this sink in and more on framing tomorrow, let’s all try to “frame” the subject for ourselves.
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