Picture of mourning
Watching his films, in which we can recognize our fathers and mothers, sisters and brother, our grandparents, we have the right to ask why the scenes of suffer and torment are more inspirational than those who exude joy and optimism.
It is imposed as a rule, artists to get to the peak of their creative achievements with these dramatic and tragic themes of pain and suffering. Hollander’s films and books marked the eternal tendency to get the divine closer to people. Although there isn’t a cross on his work, it is present, you can feel it. Looking closely at his work we see it through one imaginary spiritual vertical.
Through this artistic act, Neil Hollander conveys images of sorrow, tears, passion. If we look deep inside under that first layer, we will become parts of the work itself.
Human suffering is omnipresent in Hollander’s life. This theme has preoccupied him and made his life interwoven with the destiny of people living in Burma, their passion and death.
The American author has always been an awesome writer and director too, I remember him from our first meeting in his studio, with a picture of his native Brooklyn above his head and big stone houses with stairs. The picture was taken at the time when Neil Hollander lived in New York. In front of him there was a sculpture and hands with clay. He was gently carving and modeling the sculpture. The sounds he made while modeling seemed to me like he is composing music, subtle verses... These were moments of creation. This is how Hollander’s works were born.
And of course, the artist's mother was present in this creative work, giving comments on her son’s work. There is some eternal correlation between them that leaves a mark on every sculpture, on every picture, every Hollander’s film and book. The artist’s mother goes through all the trials with her son. Looking his latest documentary you get a feeling like Brooklyn’s life and land is parallel to the biblical one.
