Patti Smith

This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Hello everyone,I am home rebuilding strength and hopefully finish my book and send more messages. My daughter Jesse Paris is taking good care of me and I am happy to be back in New York. Here are a few pictures of our last days in Rome and Milan.Our tour ended in Milan on July 29th, my father’s birthday. Jesse shot the full moon overhead. The people were filled with happy energy that was infectious.This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support the work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pattismith.substack.com/subscribe

Hello everybody I’m on the Eurostar with the fellows en route to Paris. Last night we had a great job at the Ghent jazz festival. Much improvising as it was the jazz festival. An impromptu version of Footnote to Howl celebrating Allen Ginsberg’s 100th year, A story about a stolen panel: The Judgement, from the great Altarpiece, and a take on our fireflies. I am including some snapshots traveling to Ghent, and revisiting places I love.I will write again from Paris, still have pictures from Arles. A time of continual motion, for sure…This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support the work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pattismith.substack.com/subscribe

Hello everyone, I am writing from Arles. Tomorrow it will be 98 degrees. I have found working in these high temperatures very challenging. But I have completed my work. The audio above represents some of the audio work I do with Soundwalk. In the next couple days I will send pictures from the exhibition. Below is an excerpt from my first post on Substack. I was writing about Andrei Tarkovsky’s masterpiece Andrei Rublev. I am including it as July 4th is one of the great icon painters feast day. It also marks the opening of the Exhibition that I collaborated with Soundwalk Collective for the Hoffman Foundation. Ten short films are part of the exhibition. It includes our homage to Tarkovsky and Rublev; the entire soundtrack which I improvised is above. I am sending it on Independence Day as it addresses the duality of the Artist’s blessed burden, and considers his dilemma. What does it mean to be free….Excerpt:The film opens with a breathtaking prologue wherein a visionary peasant with the heart of Leonardo successfully flies in a makeshift air balloon, beholding a panorama from a perspective that none have seen before, save the birds, or perhaps Icarus and ascending saints. The sequence closes with a dark horse rolling on his back then slowly rising by a glistening pond. Andrei Rublev appears in the first part called The Jester Summer 1400. We see him from above, reluctantly leaving his monastery, questioning the validity of his artistic path. As he tramped through heavy rains I felt his shivering body beneath his coarse robes. Pelted by a sad splendor, I was thinking. The seasons change, the years go by. The music is holy, the rituals frozen and sad. The wanderings of the icon painter continue as a silvery dust seems to settle on every frame. A long film, the most perfect I had ever seen, so perfect it made me sick. I was struck with the sense of watching a documentary, shot in the onset of the 15th century. A black and white pageant of poetic realism. I was transfixed by the overexposed Russian landscape where ice and smoke brutally unite. Winter expanses invaded and corrupted. Blood spattering nature’s canvas, echoed by a rage of paint smeared on chapel walls. Andrei endlessly tramps tumultuous Russia, confounded by nightingales, images of Jesus in the snow, and the crushed neck of a swan. He sacrifices his brush and speech, seeking unattainable peace, while turning his back on his God given gift. Please drink a lot of water and considering these lines of the Declaration we so cherish. I hope you find the audio inspiring…We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.Happy Independence Day.This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support the work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pattismith.substack.com/subscribe

Hello everybody,I am pretty much on my way to Arles. A few loose ends and off I go. I’m feeling very much like Uncle Wiggily embarking on a lone roadtrip. Jesse is indeed on a roadtrip. She left for Nashville after our small but loving birthday celebration, including a ride on the ferry and a visit to the ocean in Rockaway Beach. It was a perfect day to be together and a perfect day to fly.I hope everyone stays healthy, does good work, and considers the plight of others. Our prayers and donations for the people of Venezuela. The fact that our government struck without provocation and left the country in a state of administrative chaos only adds to their terrible challenges. We must do what we can, there are no small efforts. Every positive effort is indeed meaningful.I will send a message soon. Good wishes to all…This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support the work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pattismith.substack.com/subscribe

Thank you everyone for your thoughtful comments. Now to my packing….This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support the work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pattismith.substack.com/subscribe

This is the cover of the forthcoming paperback. I am interested in your opinions…The photograph was taken on Seabrook Island, South Carolina in 1987 by t.e. denton. Pictured are Jackson Smith, Jesse yet to be born and my brother Todd’s daughter Simone. Have a good day everyone. Below is one of several depictions of the young John the Baptist by Caravaggio. Often with shepherds staff in hand, always wearing a blood red cloak..This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support the work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pattismith.substack.com/subscribe

This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support the work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pattismith.substack.com/subscribe

I will be back later with more…Happy everything…This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support the work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pattismith.substack.com/subscribe

Jesse took this picture when we were waiting our turn at Town Hall. A very inspiring night. Below is Robert’s speech. A good man speaking plain truth. This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pattismith.substack.com/subscribe

The great Lena Horn singing Stormy Weather. Good night all…..This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support the work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pattismith.substack.com/subscribe

This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support the work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pattismith.substack.com/subscribe

Greetings from Iceland. After making the little phone video we took a five hour drive to Akureyri. We have a small family style acoustic concert there. On the way the landscape, ever changing was breath taking. I took a few pictures for you and send good wishes to all….Our journey ended with fields of dandelions my most beloved wild flower….This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support the work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pattismith.substack.com/subscribe

Here is the actual window and a few more images as I am beguiled by boats.This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support the work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pattismith.substack.com/subscribe

Thank you for listening. I’m not down, just ruminating. Please take care, a few snapshots below. See you from Iceland. Happiness in Istanbul. Shot by Jackson Smith. May you all feel a bit of joy today!!!This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support the work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pattismith.substack.com/subscribe

Last night Jackson, Seb, Tony Shanahan and I performed a small acoustic concert in Vienna. We decided to try our hand at trying out a stripped down version of Fireflies, a song I wrote with Oliver Ray for Gone Again. It speaks of a widows deep longing and I have always found it too difficult, too sad to perform. It’s hard, if not painful, l to try something new; the risk of failure walks with you, but it’s necessary to the process. The video was taken by Janine Bub at the side of the stage. It’s quite raw, delicate, and held together by the thread of determination. As the song grows, develops and gains confidence I will send you another video. But I thought it may be interesting to hear as we all attempt new things and sometimes have to suffer the growing pains of the process publicly. But of course we prevail, don’t give up and keep our sense of humor. So far in Vienna I’ve been concentrating on revisiting The Third Man filming locations. Also the graves of A few master musicians. I’ve been a little frazzled from travel but have had amazing moments. The young people of Istanbul. Sardines and a wild sea in Brighton, and the Hall of Philosophy and the cafes in Vienna. Just sending a few snapshots before I turn in, wishing you all good health and the strength to maintain peace of mind.I will send more soon. Goodnight everybody This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support the work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pattismith.substack.com/subscribe

I have to catch my train so here are some pictures. see you soon This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support the work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pattismith.substack.com/subscribe

This is Mother Rose. I did not make this video; it’s probably well meaning but not very interesting. But there is an image of my mother in the very beginning. I wrote this song when my mother passed away in September, 2002. Though in memory of my mother, I wrote it for my daughter Jesse. Tony Shanahan wrote the music. I thought it nice to share it on my mother’s birthday This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pattismith.substack.com/subscribe

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pattismith.substack.com/subscribe

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pattismith.substack.com/subscribe

From The universe in Verse/ BrainpickingsIt troubled me as once I was— For I was once a Child— Concluding how an Atom—fell— And yet the Heavens—held— The Heavens weighed the most—by far— Yet Blue—and solid—stood— Without a Bolt—that I could prove— Would Giants—understand? Life set me larger—problems— Some I shall keep—to solve Till Algebra is easier— Or simpler proved—above— Then—too—be comprehended— What sorer—puzzled me— Why Heaven did not break away— And tumble—Blue—on me—Emily Dickinson This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pattismith.substack.com/subscribe

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pattismith.substack.com/subscribe