The core of mystery is reality. The core of reality is mystery.

I was struck by Leonora Carrington's paintings...

...at the same time as I was re-reading The Third Policeman by Flann O'Brien....

It occurred to me that mystery can be transmitted best when it contains, or is contained by, reality. Pure abstract art (like some music with no lyrics and some abstract paintings) may sometimes trasmit emotions but I reckon that mystery, the unsayable stuff, you know what I mean, is most effective when connected to concrete things we are already familiar with.

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