Merzan, the Destiny of an Artist Read online

  11 Destiny or Coincidence?

  Back in Paris, it’s a nice enough day and Merzan is outdoors looking at the coffee stained napkin scribbled with the shopkeeper’s address. He seems to know just about where this shop is located and begins walking in that direction. He’s upbeat and exchanges pleasantries with people along the way.

  A few blocks later, he sees that the address is quite close now. At the same time, Merzan’s looks around the neighborhood. Merzan’s reaction to his location suggests that there is something very familiar to him about the area.

  Merzan identifies the general location where the address must be on the Avenue Victor Hugo.

  He heads toward the shop and passes by an older woman who is outside sweeping the sidewalk in front of her home. She stops To watch Merzan. Just about the time Merzan feels like she’s questioning his presence on her street, she smiles and lifts her broom stick up like a comrade in arms saluting a friend. Merzan responds with a fist to the air returning her salute and she smiles even more. The old woman’s eyes light up which, naturally, catches Merzan’s attention. “Snap,” he thinks to himself.

  In another moment Merzan is passing by a flower stand. The vendor wishes him a hearty good morning. Merzan draws in a big breath acknowledging the lovely fragrances and provides the vendor with an expression of approval saluting his fine color-drenched display. The vendor smiles and salutes Merzan with a gesture illustrating his generous thank you.

  Others, on the street are as attentive and welcoming. Merzan thinks about how friendly everyone is. He feels pretty good about that

  He knows that he’s now only doorways away from the correct address at this point daytime journey. Pleasantly surprised, Merzan finds that the address is the camera shop where he stopped and looked into the window when he first arrived in Paris only a few weeks before. He stands at the same spot in front of the shop window and sees that same costly camera still on display. Merzan looks deeper into the shop compelled to rediscover and find the brochure about “Photography in the South Pacific.” He sees it there and allows his mind to wander.

  He becomes distracted when he sees movement and notices Philippe inside – who catches Merzan looking in the window. Philippe smiles with an alerted gesture and comes to the door, opening it.

  Philippe greets him, “Merzan, my young artiste. Welcome to my shop. Comment allez-vous?

  TRANSLATION: How are you?

  Merzan replies respectfully, “I am well Philippe. Merci. I have seen your shop before. This is quite a surprise. But, please, there is something I must see...”

  Politely, but possessed with purpose, he pushes his way past Philippe.

  Merzan explains to Philippe, “… just over here. Ah! French Polynesia. I think I have been here in my dream Philippe.”

  Philippe finds this comment as no surprise when he says, “Well, Merzan. I think every Frenchman has had this very same dream. This is paradise. They say that this is the most beautiful place in the entire world. But, oh bien, I have never been!”

  Merzan is entranced by the brochure. He states, “It looks amazing. Everything seems to be alive with light.”

  Merzan begins intensely thumbing through the brochure hanging on every photograph. Merzan looks at a photograph of a pretty Tahitian native woman with a flower in her hair. This gets to him and he breathes deep... dreamy like.

  Philippe wants to catch up from the other night and asks, “So, Merzan in the exhibit, you have now seen some work of the great masters up close. Did you study how they use the light? Tell me, what have you learned from the exhibit?”

  Merzan simply won’t let go of the brochure. He confesses, “I have learned that I still can not draw. I think I will never be an artiste.”

  Merzan’s expression clearly demonstrates his self-defeat and how he’s finally willing to give up on his dreams due to his belief of his own useless drawing talent.

  Philippe, with concern, asks, “Merzan?”

  Replying, “Oui?”

  Philippe continues, “Let me give you something very special.”

  Merzan realizing he still has the brochure in his hands, sets it down. Hesitantly, he lifts his hands to receive this “something very special” from Philippe!

  Philippe stops Merzan from reaching and says, “No, no, no! Not something like this. I’m going to give you the secret and you can keep this with you for the rest of your life. Perhaps you will learn how to let this help you, young artiste!”

  Merzan, finding himself with his hands out, puts them down quickly to not be caught by the awkwardness.

  Merzan curiously asks, “The secret?”

  Philippe confirms, “Oui! This is the secret. Come, sit down.”

  There are stools for them both to sit on.

  Philippe questions Merzan, “First, do you know what the problem is for so many of the artistes?”

  Merzan is clueless. He responds, “The problem?”

  Philippe with absoluteness confirms, “Oui! The problem!”

  Merzan is surprised and says to Philippe, “I did not know there was a problem Philippe.”

  Philippe says, “Ah, but oui, and it is a very big problem.” Solemnly, “The biggest problem.”

  Philippe becomes even more serious now and he draws himself uncomfortably close to Merzan.

  Continuing, he is now suspiciously secretive and whispers, “I will tell you the problem.”

  Merzan looks around to verify there are no eavesdroppers and whispers back, “What is the problem Philippe?” Merzan is wide-eyed and fully attentive.

  Philippe makes a series of confident facial expressions, surveys the room, then loudly answers. His outburst really startles Merzan. “The problem with many of the artistes is not whether they can draw or not draw.” Merzan is encouraged to hear that being able to draw or not may be a non-issue and this gives him great hope!

  Philippe finishes telling Merzan the rest of the secret, “In fact, Merzan, many of the artistes can draw very well.”

  Merzan, losing his new found hope, regroups and says, “I can’t draw at all.”

  Philippe says, “The problem is they have never learned to see what they are drawing. Do you understand?

  Merzan, in his young artistic innocence, tells Philippe, “Well, Philippe. Uhm, I don’t think so monsieur.”

  Philippe resolves himself to demonstrate, “Merzan, take your hands like this.”

  Philippe uses his hands to form a viewing frame to look through. Like a film director. One palm away, one palm toward himself to fabricate a perfect horizontal rectangle frame by touching his index fingers to his thumbs.

  Merzan gets it, “Ah! Oui. I know about this.”

  Merzan forms his hands into a frame shape except he positions his two palms away. This doesn’t create the exact shape so Philippe corrects him. The corrections of having one palm away and one palm toward (him) creates the form that more accurately builds the necessary 90 degree corners. To verify the shape’s accuracy, Philippe draws with his finger inside the rectangle frame Merzan is holding up. Merzan understands that having the hands held this proper way emphasizes the perfect frame shape. Philippe nods with approval.

  Philippe shows Merzan, “Now, look this way and tell me what do you see?”

  Philippe directs Merzan’s point of view toward the shop window.

  Philippe, looking through his frame-shaped hands, simply sees the scene of his shop window and what appears outside. It is rather normal looking to Philippe. However, Philippe has a higher purpose and is actually testing Merzan’s creative levels.

  Philippe, keeping his own “frame” in place looks over to Merzan for a response to find out what he is seeing and notices light glowing through Merzan’s framed-shaped hands and onto Merzan’s face. Philippe is surprised by this unexpected intervention of light, something that he was unable to see or enjoy.

  Merzan tells him, “Philippe, I can see it.”

  Philippe is now left out of the equation entirely and has no idea what Merzan c
an see, but is convinced that it is much better than anything he was afforded by his own view.

  Philippe becomes fixated on Merzan and is rather awe-inspired by this unexpected, magical moment of light.

  Merzan is suddenly entranced. Poetically, he tells Philippe, “I see thousands of stars twinkling. They are creating a universe full of light. And I see angels, Philippe. They are singing a song I have never heard. It’s a beautiful song. I think it must be a lullaby. I see a young child.”

  Philippe gets caught up in Merzan’s imaginative hypnotic visions. Philippe begins to imagine his own son in a peaceful heavenly surrounding, smiling, happy. His eyes begin welling while listening to Merzan’s tale.

  He looks at Merzan, then the window, then back at Merzan again. He’s amazed by Merzan’s story and consumed.

  Merzan continues with his enlightening visual tale, “Yes, this child is a small young girl with long black hair.

  Philippe is startled back to reality knowing Merzan’s vision has nothing to do with his stillborn son. Philippe continues to watch Merzan. He has become completely drawn in by the young man’s creative imagination and poetic nature.

  The scene Merzan describes has developed into a fully detailed storyline. It fascinates Philippe how Merzan is not only imagining seeing amazing things, but even hears music in his head to accompany his visual adventure. Merzan imagines that the long-haired little girl turns toward him. While doing so, Merzan becomes overwhelmed when he sees her majestic light blue eyes with light bouncing around in every direction. Merzan is totally consumed. It is her own lullaby that he hears in his mind. He knows it is.

  Philippe senses that Merzan is in some other world entirely and tries to get through to him, “Merzan! Merzan!”

  Merzan is snapped back to reality by Philippe.

  Merzan, after this adventurous journey, looks and Philippe and says, sadly, “I still can not draw.”

  Merzan drops his framed hands in frustration.

  Philippe squelches his playful nature to avoid chuckling at Merzan’s self-induced creative defeat, then glances to one of the shop walls. He spends a brief moment noticing a poster with the Eiffel Tower. It’s a cliché photograph but sparks an idea in Philippe’s mind.

  Philippe has not yet given up Merzan’s self-proclaimed failure as an artiste. He says to him, “Come here young artiste. I have something very special for you.”

  Merzan replies, “Again?”

  Merzan, overwhelmed, acts as though he can’t handle another fantastic imaginary episode. He draws a big breath to regain composure.

  Philippe relaxes Merzan a bit when he says, “This time there is no secret.”

  Philippe takes Merzan behind the counter and opens a drawer on the bottom of a showcase. He reaches in and lifts out a newspaper wrapped object which he places on the counter for Merzan to see.

  Directing Merzan, “Carefully then, open this Merzan.”

  Merzan opens it and stops mid-way to notice a very old announcement for a gallerie exhibition in Paris. Merzan continues to open the package completely.

  Merzan tells Philippe, “This is a camera Philippe!”

  Philippe enjoys Merzan’s unnecessary young detective-like wisdom and sarcastically says, “Well, Merzan for 15 years I am the shopkeeper of this store. So! Merci beaucoup. I did not know this is a camera.”

  Merzan grits his teeth and cautiously adds, “It looks very...”

  Philippe fills in the blank, “Old!”

  Philippe slams his hand firmly down on the counter and absolutely startles Merzan. Merzan, stunned by the abrupt action, pulls his hands away like the camera had become a hot potato.

  Merzan, using more caution, asks, “Oui! It is very old. Does it work Philippe?”

  Philippe shrugging his shoulders casually answers, “This I do not know! But I would like to offer you a job.”

  “A job?”

  “Oui. I need some help around the shop and I think you might be just the right person for the job.”

  “But I have school Philippe. How can I possibly take on a job...”

  Philippe clarifies, “Ah! Merzan... this is no problem. When you can be here, you can be here. When you cannot be here, you cannot be here! Those will be the hours for your job!”

  Philippe tells Merzan, “This was my camera many years ago. It always served me well. I do not take too many photographs any longer. Now, what about the job?

  Merzan gleams with appreciation. He says, “I accept the offer and I am ready to begin now.”

  “Then you will begin... NOW!” Philippe confirms. “This is going to your first project Merzan.”

  Philippe looks back at the poster on the wall, then begins providing details for Merzan’s first job, “Take this camera. Now, let me show you how you load film inside.”

  The two spend a bit of time confirming that Merzan knows the nuances of loading film and properly operating the camera.

  They step outside the shop door. Philippe is ready to send Merzan off with the final missing piece of information that explains what his project requires of him.

  Philippe tells Merzan, “Merzan, your first job is simple. Photograph Paris!”

  Merzan drops his jaw and reacts with, “What? Photograph Paris?”

  Philippe is nonchalant and embellishes the assignment, “Oui! I have given you two rolls of film. So, now go. Find, perhaps, 70 things to take pictures of.”

  Coming in closer to emphasize his point, Philippe adds, “But Merzan, this is very important.”

  Whispering, “You must remember the secret.”

  Merzan, uncertain, asks, “The secret?”

  “Oui...” Secretively, “... your job is to go learn to see. Bring back pictures of what you see, not what you are looking at. Do you understand?”

  Merzan says, “No.”

  Philippe once again notices the poster on the wall inside his shop and continues to explain the assignment to Merzan.

  “Let the light show you the way. I do not want to see the Tour Eiffel, I want to feel it when I look at your photographs. Do you understand?”

  Merzan replies honestly, “No.”

  “Good,” Philippe says, now satisfied enough, “then you are ready to begin your job. Now go!”

  Philippe waves his hand gesturing that the time for talk is finished and enough is enough. No excuses! The discussion has ended. Merzan almost runs off to be a well-disciplined new employee – who’s first job is to simply photograph Paris!

  Yelling down the block, Philippe calls out, “... and when you return I will teach you how to develop the film. Now go... now go! Go my young artiste!”

  He speaks out even louder so all can hear in his friendly neighborhood of shopkeepers and residents.

  “You are Merzan, artiste de la photographie!”

  The neighborhood of people on the street, along with other shopkeepers who seem to spend as much time outside their stores than in, have become engaged in the outward display. They too join in to encourage Merzan. They see that he is off on a great new adventure with nothing but the clothes on his back and a camera around his neck.

  People are applauding and cheering as if he is some local celebrity or a hero who has just saved the village from ruin.

  Some of the individuals amongst the modest crowds on the street participate offering their well wishes to Merzan as he heads outs on his assignment.

  “Go Merzan! – Artiste is with us! – You are Merzan! – the artiste de la photographie – He is Merzan! Monsieur with a camera!”

  People are now dancing with each other – arm in arm. The street has exploded with extraordinary excitement. It’s become a festival up and down the block. Merzan is encouraged by this entire local community to go find the light that he is expecting to guide him and light his way for the creation of his 70 photographs of Paris.

  Somehow, even vibrant music has added to the outbreak of celebration on the Avenue Victor Hugo.

  Merzan looks back at the street scene. Naturally, through
his eyes, it all fades into a stilled impressionistic painting that looks and feels very much like something that Claude Monet or Pierre-Auguste Renoir would have painted. He smiles and continues on with bold confidence to simply photograph, “Paris” with a camera that is as old as can be, yet new to him – that may not even work at all.

  12 Where did the Magic Go?

  Merzan travels around Paris carrying the old camera. Merzan has never taken a photograph in his life. He is drawn to the city’s landmarks and famous places. He begins taking photos, lots of photos. He is using his hands like a frame to find the special views, however what he sees ends up more comical than special. He sees things that make him laugh. He watches a dog lifting its leg. While focusing on a beautiful sculptured street lamp it is struck by a bird dropping. There’s a horse and carriage and Merzan comes in close on the horse’s head just in time for it to sneeze. Merzan captures the moment the disgusting moisture flies from the horse’s nostrils. Half disgusted, he laughs it off. He thinks to himself, “ah, that was a good action shot.”

  Eventually, Merzan gets past this unexpected and, if he had the choice, unwanted reality of the streets. The late afternoon light, known to professional photographers as the magic hour, begins.

  Although Merzan is unfamiliar with this “magic hour” his effort to capture images of familiar Paris landmarks start to take on a new light blessed by the late afternoon angle of the sun. Various objects and sceneries are now begging to become his next photographic subject with their dramatic side lit intrigue. The golden color of the light adds more drama to what he discovers even though he’s shooting with black and white film.

  While shooting a worthy subject near the Champs-Elysées, Merzan positions himself to take his next photograph. Somebody passing by inadvertently bumps him, knocking him off the curb. The camera flies from his hands, but thanks to the strap it dangles safely around his neck. Merzan, a little frustrated from being pushed, squats down to one knee to regain his composure for the moment.

  While down on his knee, he experiences a whole new vantage point. New angles provide unexpected alternate views of what’s around him. Positioned lower to the ground, reflections become dominant. Silhouettes of people, sun rays, lens flairs from bright reflective objects and more catch his eye. He squats down even lower and sees things much different. Ordinary becomes extraordinary and much more creative. He discovers that he has a natural instinct to see things with his new artistic eyes. This goes to work for him and almost through intervention, Merzan’s vision explodes with artistic passion.