56. Memoirs.

As it has happened before, one drawing that Victor recently sent to me reminded me about others on the same topic and inspired me to make a new post. As in most instances, there is no explanation why he suddenly decided to draw this old woman writing - what? memoirs? It would be more logical if he did it three years ago, when he helped me publish the memoirs of both of my grandmothers. I made my mom type them in Russian, then spent the whole summer translating them into English, so my future grandchildren would be able to read them. Victor runs a publishing business in Ukraine, so he designed a bilingual edition and printed a couple of dozens of copies, just for my family. This is why, maybe, this drawing is so dear to me.

Again, I am not happy with the translation of the title. Victor named it "Воспоминания." In Russian, this word has two meanings: "Recollections" or "Reminiscence," on the one side, and "Memoirs," on the other. Their meanings overlap, but they are not exactly the same. Still, I believe that he meant both of them, emphasizing not just the process of writing, but the whole life flushing inside the woman's head. This is why giving just one word for the title is not that accurate.

 

 

"Memoirs"

"Воспоминания"

 

 

 

 

Of course, after looking at one of Victor's old memoirists, I recalled another.  I did write about him in one of the older posts, but it fits this one too well, I can't skip it! I will even repeat an interesting detail. Victor was on the phone with me (Skype, to be precise), when he was drawing it. He mentioned that he was drawing an ancient man writing chronicles. We continued our conversation, and after some time he exclaimed: "For some reason, he wears glasses, and there is a dead bird near him..." He sounded genuinely surprised!!

 

 



 

 

"Chronicler"

"Летописец"