I am a great artist and I know it.
I left Europe to get rid of the influence of civilisation.
I only want to create simple art.
On 8th June, in the night,
after 63 days of crossing,
63 days of feverish expectations,
I noticed odd lights on the sea, moving in zigzags.
In the dark sky, a laced cone stood
We discovered Tahiti.
I got to work.
All sorts of notes and sketches.
With its bold, intense colours,
the scenery dazzled and blinded me.
Here, it is simple to paint things as I see them.
To lay red or blue on the canvas.
Why hesitate to paint the sun's gold and joy on the canvas?
Now barefoot, my feet have hardened.
They've adapted to the ground.
My body, almost always naked, no longer suffers from the sun.
Civilisation gradually leaves me.
To get acquainted with the particula features of Tahitian faces,
with the charms of a Maori smile,
I longed to paint the portrait of one of my neighbours
When she was bold enough to visit me in my hut,
I made the most of the opportunity to ask her to pose for me.
While she examined photographs with interest,
I tried to sketch her portrait.
She pulled a displeased face.
And said in an almost angry way,
"Aita", meaning "no".
She left.
One hour later, she came back.
She was wearing a beautiful dress,
with a flower on her ear.
In this portrait, I put what my hear allowed my eyes to see
and especially
what the eyes alone cannot detect:
the intense flame of a contained strength.
And the flower on her ear
listened to her perfume.
Subtitles: Marion Cole
Subtitling: ST' 501
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