Fourteen Black Paintings

The musician Peter Gabriel released a song called Fourteen Black Paintings in 1992. Although I have been moved by this song and its five short lines of lyrics for 17 years now, it has only been this past week that I looked into the meaning of this song's name. I never suspected there were 14 actual black paintings.

The artist Mark Rothko never saw the completion of his final art commission. He took his own life a year before the chapel housing the 14 Black Paintings was dedicated. This non-denominational chapel is dedicated to human and civil rights; a sculpture "Broken Obelisk" at the chapel is dedicated to Martin Luther King, Jr. The chapel and its mission inspired Peter Gabriel to write these words:

From the pain come the dream
From the dream come the vision
From the vision come the people
And from the people come the power
From this power come the change

Why would a cycling blog write about this? The connection is subtle.

It is darkness that gives meaning, but it would be wrong to remain in darkness. Darkness can and should foster a dream, a dream that should be brought to the light of day. It is the dream spelled out in the light of day that forms a vision, a vision that people within the darkness and pain can relate to. The vision gives us a way out of the darkness and that is its power and meaning. Then, can change occur.

Whereas I find much joy and brightness in cycling, there is no shortage of darkness and pain: cycling will never catch on, cyclists aren't respected by motorists, cycling is too dangerous. I want to reach beyond to the bright side.

A vision for cycling must recognize that people harbor this darkness, and help move them toward the power to bring change. It isn't enough to complain about the darkness -- that's the easy part. We want to create a vision that gives the people the power to make the change.

That change occurs within ourselves first. One-by-one, individuals make the change, and the whole world begins to change as we notice each other's brightness.

Peter Gabriel and Mark Rothko both recognized the spiritual nature of the transformation from darkness to light. It is our spirit that lets us choose to abandon the darkness.

So, perhaps it is fitting that I ride my bike on Sunday mornings when everyone else is in church.