In March 2022, Shlomit Steinberg, the Hans Dichand Senior Curator of European Art, at the #Israel Museum and a colleague of mine turned to me and asked me to contribute a poem on the theme of Arcadia towards her upcoming exhibition under the same name.
During James Snyder’s tenure, I would share with the Museum community, in the form of an email to All, my poems as they arose. These poems were trying to communicate in a creative way some truth or impression of mine to the Museum community, while at the same time they related and responded to an incident or occasion, such as Passover and The International Women’s Day for instance.
Given my Greek background, Shlomit thought I would be a good candidate for this poem.
Following a short research on the theme of “Arcadia” I was reminded of its central representation of utopias in the arts and culture, as well as its sense of unspoiled wilderness. On May 4, 2022, I wrote my first take on the theme. I was not happy with the outcome so I gave it another chance a few weeks later.
The below version is the final one, and the only one shared with Shlomit Steinberg. The poem got Shlomit Steinberg’s approval, and was consecutively handed to fellow colleague Tami Michaeli, Senior Editor of Hebrew Publications, who did an excellent job with its translation into Hebrew.
Past its translation, Shlomit asked to record me reciting the song, in both Hebrew and English so that the poem would be included in the Hebrew and English audio guide of the Arcadia exhibition.
I believe that in June 2022, we recorded the poem, which went up on the Museum’s audio guide along with Shlomit’s introduction to her exhibition and selected works.
Many Museum guides have since turned to me thanking me for the poem, who per their saying makes for a great closure to their guided tours; leaving their audience with the question of what their Arcadia is.
This version of Arcadia also epitomizes for me, my feeling of my Greek Summer 2023.
I wish that all of you reading it, may remember, reconnect and create yours, I am on my way to mine.
Here is the poem in the original English as well as in the Hebrew translation by Tami Michaeli,
Enjoy!
❤
Arcadia
By Yvette Nahmia-Messinas
Beyond the calming ripples of the sea,
beyond the freshness of the forest,
beyond the night sky lit by stars,
is my Arcadia;
Beyond an actual place,
beyond Greece,
beyond my beloved,
there is a place.
A place of being seen,
being recognized by the other,
a meeting of beingness,
where all of you is encountered.
That’s when you are in Arcady land
and your entire cosmos rejoices.
ארקדיה
מאת איבט נחמיאס מסינס
מאחורי אדוות הים השלוות,
מאחורי רעננות היער,
מאחורי שמי הלילה המוארים באור כוכבים,
שם שוכנת ארקדיה שלי.
מעבר למקום של ממש,
מעבר ליוון,
מעבר לאהובי,
יש מקום.
מקום
שבו רואים אותך,
ומכירים בך,
מקום של הוויה,
שבו פוגשים את כולך.
כך נראית ארקדיה שלך,
ואז עולמך חוגג.
