Strange Solace

There is an abandoned house on the banks of the Rhein. It stands next to a former railway bridge. The bridge was closed due to it being unsafe, and a better, stronger, newer bridge was built further down the river.

Who ever thought to build a bridge on top a waterfall in the first place, the Engineers said. Madness!

But that is only how it looks to you and me.

The truth is, that the house isn’t abandoned, and the train is still in use. It makes a special journey, once every year.

When people die, they mostly move on to the afterlife, whatever that means for them. But some, those with unfinished business, remain on our earthly plane. Not quite here, not quite there. You probably know them as ghosts. 

Once a year thirteen ghosts are invited from across the world to the not-quite-abandoned house to fulfil their unfulfilled lifetime dream of becoming an artist. Here they receive tutelage from the ghosts of the greatest artists of our time, Khalo, O’Keefe, Kusama, Van Gough and Matisse, among others.

And when the tutors deem they are ready, they leave.

The train takes them back over the river and delivers each ghost to the house of a struggling (living) artist. The ghost whispers in their ear whilst they sleep, giving inspiration and helping to inspire others to fulfil the dream that only came true in their deathtime.

Copyright: image believed to be in the public domain and used for creative, non-commercial purposes. Vintage postcard of Rhine Falls and Laufen Castle, Switzerland. Published by Photoglob-Wehrli AG, Zürich. Ref. m 3522.