PRODUCTION

Minimal set. A couch, painting, easel. The Black Iris can be indicated, replicated, or projected- all artistic interpretation welcome.

 

REVELANT HISTORY

Georgia O’Keeffe (1887-1986) was an American modernist artist. She was known for her painting of skyscrapers, landscapes, and monumental flowers, which were a combination of realism and abstraction. Unbeknownst to O’Keeffe, her friend and National Women’s Party leader, Anita Pollitzer gave charcoal drawings O’Keeffe sent to her to a NYC gallery owner, which sparked his interest in her. The owner was Alfred Stieglitz, a renowned photographer and the first to exhibit her work, the two were later married. Stieglitz influenced the interpretation of her paintings in a profound way by defining them as symbolic of sexuality and female anatomy. He would also pair his photographs of her, nudes and closeups of her hands, neck, and feet, with her paintings. At this time, psychoanalysis was also growing in popularity, the culmination of

these factors seemed to solidify the public opinion of her work as overtly provocative, which she opposed.

To all the artists that give of themselves, may they never let anyone or anything take away their spirit to create.

VOCABULARY

(GERMAN)                                       (TRANSLATION)

Ach du meine Güte!                          Good gracious!

Mutterleib                                         Womb

Wo Es war, soll Ich werden              Where It was, shall I be (famous Freudian declaration)

 

CHARACTERS

GEORGIA O’KEEFFE: Female, (stage age 25-30) An artist, solitary and individualistic persona. SIGMUND FREUD: Male, (stage age middle-aged) Austrian scholar, self-assured, always with a cigar.

 

At Rise: Lights up on O’KEEFFE’s painting, Black Iris on a large canvas. O’KEEFFE picks up a brush and begins to paint the final details.

FREUD enters. He is in deep analysis of the piece. He walks back and forth smoking his cigar, his hands behind his back as he paces.

 

FREUD

Highly evocative, full of sensual overtones. What do you call this one Ms. O’Keeffe?

 

O’KEEFFE

Black Iris.

 

FREUD

The sexual energy is palpable.

 

O’KEEFFE

Why have you come Dr. Freud? To give your analysis of my paintings?

 

FREUD

I’ve heard of your work and have come to see for myself-

 

O’KEEFFE

I see.

 

FREUD

After all, sex itself sits on that easel.

 

O’KEEFFE

It does?

 

FREUD

Yes, we’ve come face to labia with one of the largest manifestations of suppression.

 

O’KEEFFE

We have?

 

 

 

 

A fixation perhaps.

FREUD

(excited by the possibility)

 

 

 

Fixation?

O’KEEFE

(Curiously looking at painting)

 

 

 

FREUD

Do not be alarmed. This is not uncommon in you “creatives.” Leonardo da Vinci never reconciled his illegitimate beginnings, and what did he do?

 

O’KEEFE

Paint the Mona Lisa?

 

FREUD

(correcting)

He painted his mother’s smirk on female portraits.

A maternal obsession, clearly the lack of a superego, kept him a prisoner that spent his time tinkering with his toys.

 

O’KEEFFE

Well, I paint nature, not portraits/

 

FREUD

He painted childhood fascinations disguised as portraits.

That is why I am here. You see, an artist’s neurosis can be identified in their work. I needed to see such sublimation first hand for my research.

 

FREUD examines O’KEEFFE up and down. Then closely watches her brush stroke. She pauses…

 

O’KEEFFE

It’s a flower.

 

FREUD

To the untrained eye, perhaps.

But ask me what I see in the shadows, in the unfolding evolution of the deepest layers?

 

 

 

 

What do you see in the/

O’KEEFFE

(apprehensive)

 

FREUD

Come, lean in. I’ll show you-

 

FREUD and O’KEEFFE lean inward towards the painting. FREUD goes to gently caress the painting. O’KEEFFE instinctually bats his hand down. He indicates an apology.

 

FREUD

Do you see it?

 

O’KEEFFE shakes her head no.

 

FREUD

Here.

 

O’KEEFFE

Here?

 

FREUD

There.

 

O’KEEFFE tries to trace FREUD’s eyes to the exact spot he is looking.

 

FREUD

This. Sublimated sexual desire. It is the hallmark of the id. The id brings with it primal unconscious desires and instincts…

 

O’KEEFFE

I like the color purple/

 

FREUD takes out a notepad and feverishly starts jotting down notes as he returns to

pacing.

 

FREUD

(a stream of consciousness)

Hmm…Yes, well, the principals of psychoanalysis see more- much more.

The id dwells in the realm of the unconscious. Just out of our reach of awareness.

 

Repressed desires are in conflict with social normative behavior, thus creating a war between the conscious and subconscious manifesting in this- (gesturing large with excitement) the ultimate display of sexual dominance!

 

O’KEEFFE

It’s a painting…of a flower.

 

FREUD

(offended)                                     It’s a flagrant allusion of female genitalia.

 

O’KEEFFE stares at the painting, trying to see what FREUD sees. She walks around it and looks it up and down and studies the canvas. She is at a loss.

 

O’KEEFFE

I wanted people to see detail, things that might otherwise be overlooked-

 

FREUD

Hmmm…I surmise this iris, as you’ve called it, is a self-portrait of sorts, an aggressive exploitation of one’s own body due to underlined feelings of inadequacy likely stemming from the artist’s maternal relationship.

 

O’KEEFFE

It has petals. Did you see the petals?

 

FREUD

Don’t worry, I’ve seen this in my patients in Vienna. The natural development of femininity involves the substitution of the wish for a baby in place of a desire for a penis.

 

O’KEEFFE

No, no you misheard me I said petals.

 

FREUD

Given the vast scale of the painting, I’d say it’s likely directly proportionate to the artist’s unmet reproductive desires.

 

There is a long pause as FREUD switches his attention to O’KEEFFE. He studies her closely as though she was on display.

 

 

 

It’s a flower, close up.

O’KEEFFE

(frustrated)

 

 

FREUD

I find that free association can be helpful in these situations, especially with resistant patients.

 

O’KEEFFE

No thank you, I don’t need treatment.

 

 

FREUD goes to a couch and lays down. He is exhausted.

 

FREUD

The teacher is also a student. You see I’ve found free association especially helpful after working with particularly disturbed patients. Do you mind?

 

FREUD indicates the blanket at the end of the couch. O’KEEFFE reluctantly covers him.

 

FREUD

Thank you. Where were we? Ah yes, before I begin – do you paint anything other than gigantic labias?

 

O’KEEFFE

Uhh. Other than flowers, yes, I uhh, I’ve just finished painting a cow skull with calico roses.

 

FREUD

Delightful. That should fuel my association nicely. A demonstration of how one part of

the human psyche seeks sexual gratification; and yet, the other side seeks annihilation and self-destruction. Humans are wonderfully deterministic.

 

O’KEEFFE

They’re just shapes to me. It’s the shapes I enjoy and the light coming through/

 

FREUD

(waves his finger as one would do to a child)

What is heavy on the mind finds its way from the hand to the canvas. (whispers)

Subconsciously.

 

O’KEEFFE

Since the drought, there are a lot of bones outside my ranch in New Mexico, so I/

 

 

 

 

The aim of all life is death.

FREUD

(matter of fact)

 

 

O’KEEFFE

What? No, it’s not about death. Since there weren’t any flowers I collected the bones to paint/

 

FREUD

You needn’t explain the death drive to me, or your allure to it. It’s innate to all humans. Now please excuse me, I’ve reached my limit of analysis. It takes a lot from me, I must rest and reflect. Do stay quiet as it is critical the mind does not have interference as it brings about spontaneous thoughts.

 

O’KEEFFE

Oh- ok. But Dr. Freud this is my studio and I/ (must get back to work)

 

FREUD

Shhhhhh- the process has begun-

 

O’KEEFFE goes back to her painting. She stares at it from multiple angles still trying to see what FREUD saw in it. FREUD begins free

associating then trails off and begins to snore.

 

FREUD

(Free associating )

A boat sailing on the vast waters of the subconscious… Strikes a dark continent,

Woman.

Mutterleib-

A wasteland of repressed sexuality-

Childbearing, childbirth, child rearing, child, child, child- (yawns)

 

The unpinning of wünsche- Primordial-

Urges and fears…

Wo Es war…soll Ich werden…

 

O’KEEFFE picks up her brush to paint. She pauses, then reflects on her muse.

 

O’KEEFFE

There was a florist on 42nd street.

It was rare that they’d have black irises, but when they did, I’d walk by just to admire

them. The suede scent smelled like fresh bread. As I passed, they would greet me like an old friend. One day I stopped. I studied it. This is what I saw. What I found

beautiful. In the big city, there was this singular budding reminder of small moments. She took my hand in the busy street and I brought her here to admire her…

(she gazes at the painting as if saying goodbye to a friend)

But now, it’s been distorted. Contorted. Taken from me, from us.

 

O’KEEFE reaches for her brush and paints feverishly over the iris.

 

O’KEEFFE

No. More. Flowers.

 

O’KEEFFE wipes her hands on her apron. She breathes deeply and goes to her sketch pad.

 

O’KEEFFE

What shall I paint next? Something that cannot be misinterpreted. Something to cleanse the palate. (She gazes out the window for inspiration)

Ahh-yes.

Perhaps I’ll paint these buildings instead.

From this view, they look like tall tin cans against the blue sky.

 

As she draws, FREUD wakes. He adjusts his glasses and lights his cigar. He sees the additions to the Black Iris. He is drawn to it.

 

 

 

 

Ach du meine Güte!

FREUD

(shocked)

 

FREUD walks slowly around the painting. He is mesmerized.

 

FREUD

You covered it in red paint. You have rejected your mother a brilliant example of electra complex. I’ve never seen such a grand display.

 

FREUD notices O’KEEFFE has moved away and is invested in her sketchpad.

 

FREUD

What is it that you are drawing?

 

 

 

 

Buildings. Plain old buildings.

O’KEEFFE

(she moves the pad to her)

 

 

FREUD

Let me see-

 

O’KEEFFE

No. It’s mine. Van Gogh painted ‘Red Poppies and Daisies’ on an oil canvas, and yet not one person suggested they were an assortment of vaginas in a vase.

 

FREUD

Perhaps Van Gogh isn’t the greatest example of mental health-

 

O’KEEFFE

Ha! You know nothing of art. We give and give of ourselves, but instead of appreciation, you put upon us your interpretations- your meanings.

Sometimes a flower is just a flower.

 

FREUD

I see you are upset- I will go but please entertain me on this – one final peak.

 

O’KEEFFE does not answer and continues drawing.

 

FREUD

One look please at your newest inspiration. Then I go back to Vienna.

 

O’KEEFFE holds the notebook up in

frustration. FREUD studies it a moment. She is sure this will invite no further analysis.

 

FREUD

Those buildings look awfully – erect…

 

O’KEEFFE

Get out! GET OUT!

 

END PLAY

Photo by Abhishek Koli on Unsplash