Hilma and Piet

Are you ever inspired to write something after seeing a work of art for the first time? I dreamt up this story while viewing a new exhibition at Tate Modern in London, where I volunteer as a visitor host. I then sat down in the middle of the gallery, surrounded by paintings, and wrote the story on my iPhone. Since it came to 99 words, I thought I might as well round it up into a drabble by editing the story into its present 100-word form. I was also planning to continue with the dialogue and write a longer story but was interrupted when the exhibition closed for the evening. Looking at these 100 words now, I kind of think this little tale stands up on its own.

What do you think?

Hilma and Piet

“Beautiful!”

“Isn’t it?”

"Breathtaking."

“Have you been here long?”

“Just arrived. You?”

“Same.”

“My name is Piet by the way.”

“Really? Oh, how interesting…”

“Oh :( ! And you are?”

“I am?”

“Your name my dear lady.”

“My name is Hilma and ple…”

“Yes! I knew it. Hilma af Klint. I have heard of you.”

“Well I know of no Piet of repute. You have heard of me in what connection, pray?”

“You are an artist from Sweden. A rare example of a female artist and of some renown in my circles. In life, I always meant to see your work. Alas…”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I hope you liked my little story, a drabble or story written in exactly 100 words. It was inspired by a visit to the following art exhibition about the evolution of the work of two artists, one well known, the other less so.

HILMA AF KLINT & PIET MONDRIAN FORMS OF LIFE

A new exhibition at Tate Modern in London

Until 3 September 2023

A truly unique opportunity to discover the work of Swedish painter Hilma af Klint while seeing Dutch painter Piet Mondrian’s art in a new light. Both painters were formally trained as landscape artists, but each developed their own approach to the representation of nature through geometrical form, color and composition.

The artists never met. My little story above imagines a meeting between them and, as such, the story is of course entirely fictional.

Question is: where is the story set?

If, like me, you love to visit art museums and to spend time contemplating artists’ work, you might also like to read some of my other articles exploring different ways of seeing artistic endeavor.

Art views and reviews

Barbara Hepworth: Art and Life

Looking up at Art one: Constable

Looking up at Art two: Francis Bacon

Other articles and non-fiction

How to write about witchcraft and witches

Review: Three authors - King, Chandler, Iggulden

Short stories by the author

Two's company

A married couple take a friend on a weekend trip to an isolated cabin in the snow. A story of betrayal and revenge.

The Plumes of Enceladus

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Enough of the Resets

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A Distant Dream of Love and Loss

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A Time for Empathy

Deep Space Transport Vessel Endurance was a happy ship but one in which a strange psychological phenomenon had emerged.

Joker Jones and the Asteroid

Some people call him a space cowboy! A lone prospector sets out to mine a field of gold - way out in the asteroid belt.

Spooky, sorcery and supernatural

A macabre profession

For me the eerie silence of the secluded sepulchre was a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of the wicked world outside.

A plague of imps

A sword, a sorceress, a swordsmith, a professor, a servant, a winged serpent, a child, a spy, soldiers, peasants, a plague of imps, and a nice cup of tea.

Learning to fly

When a young lad turns up at Biggin Hill Airport in Kent for a flying lesson, he is not expecting his flying machine to be a broomstick!

Learning to fly: part two ~ Learning to fly: part three

Dark Clouds Gather

A tale of witchcraft and a battle against dark forces in the provincial town of Guildford. Suburban sorcery at its best.

Part two ~ Part three

The aquarium

Boy meets girl on a random visit to an aquarium. All goes well until boy discovers that girl is not quite what she seems.

Other

Haiku by Raymond G. Taylor

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Raymond G. Taylor is an author based in the Kent suburbs of London. At one time a business press journalist, Ray has launched and run a media company, been general manager of a retail finance business and, more recently, was an officer in a tough London prison. He is currently a part-time, partially retired government security adviser and policy official.

As an author, Ray is best known for his wide range of short stories which range from heart breaking romance to classic adventure tales, witchcraft, sci-fi, supernatural, historical, mythological, spooky, dark, brooding, funny. His work is always intriguing and engaging whatever the genre. Taylor writes with authenticity and true feeling. Reading his work you will feel you are, not just reading a story, but living it.

© Raymond G. Taylor, 2020-2023, all rights reserved. The author has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this work.

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