I've been inspired by Clara Lofaro for years. Rarely do we see an artist take the stage empty handed, command silence with stillness, and begin filling our hearts with their voice. She began her set with an acapella performance at Cafe Vivaldi, in SOHO where I was asked to perform a dance in collaboration with her music. We were thrilled to be working together. Our first performance was her song entitled 'Wrinkled $.'
Wrinkled $ speaks of a loss of innocence that is inevitable as each of us accepts reality beyond our youth. This happens sooner for some than others who may be more sheltered. Clara sings:
There was a school yard Where we used to play In our sweatpants and short hair We told secrets and we didn't care
About the world About the wrinkles on our face About the money we made About the pressures That weigh us down today About the impressions we made About the politicians And the apostles About the war child And the egos That smack us in the face About the hearts we break
In the spirit of The Beatles, 'Imagine' where no religion or war inhibits our ability to find peace, 'Wrinkled $' showcases the innocence of childhood as a utopia where no $, politics, or egos reside. Innocence exists here without knowledge or life experience and has no grounds for opinion. A child simply sees beauty in everything. It seems that we cherish these moments in our lives, ones where we are free from daily travails. Then when does the agony begin? Part of growing into our adolescence and even into young adulthood means facing frightening truths. This may be where ignorance is born. Born as a fear, creeping up when that innocence is challenged with information that opposes our current understanding of the world, and if accepted, would require change, which is often difficult. It's clear why people maintain an iron grip on their traditions and opinions - we can't expect everyone to be be open to having their beliefs challenged, regardless of the validity of those challenges.
On the contrary I can see benefits in our innocence and value it. A child is brought into life with an unconditional ability to love. Something to admire, they remind us of what is truly important. How might I wonder do we sustain this ability to give unconditional love. When a child asks a question about the world, we may find it in their best interest to be dishonest with them, to protect them. However, if we provide them with a platform of knowledge that helps them understand the world, they will be prepared for tough transitions. Life has a lot of evolutions to undertake and this is yet another one that we need to identify, where Innocence meets Ignorance. Our fear of evolution is simply something to acknowledge and seek understanding in its wake.
See Clara Lofaro @ Canal Room Friday, February 25th, 2011 8pm www.ClaraLofaro.com