Monday Musings: Seatbelts, everyone!
/“This exhibition [Guillermo del Toro: At Home with Monsters or #GDTatMia] presents a small fraction of the things that have moved me, inspired me, and consoled me as I transit through life.” - Guillermo del Toro
You might be asking yourself… what the heck does that quote have to do with yoga OR YogaQuest, and why am I quoting Guillermo del Toro?! Fasten your seatbelts, we’re going on a field trip!
You find yourself in Uptown Minneapolis on a Tuesday night. You have just arrived at the YogaQuest studio, it’s quest night, and you are on time! The door is slightly ajar, and you hear chatter and laughter coming from inside the studio. You slip your shoes off, leaving them with several other pairs of shoes and sandals. You gently push the door open, and step inside the studio. You notice a lovely wood floor, and warm lighting. There are several people settled throughout the room on their mats, and as you turn toward the front of the room, you are warmly greeted by tonight’s teacher. You notice to your left, a shelf with a collection of lego mini figures, action figures, and gosh, too many Funko Pop! figures to count. You recognize most of them, but one in particular catches your eye. You didn’t even know they made a Funko Pop! of that character, but you are so excited to know it is a thing that exists in the world! You don’t know anyone here, but seeing that character represented, gives you a sense of belonging… someone here must love them too!
You head to the tall shelves to your right, grabbing a mat and bolster to borrow. Making your way to an open spot in the back of the room, you notice the far right corner is FULL full of signed photos from conventions. Some are promotional professional photo of and signed by an individual, but many are group photos of YogaQuest community members with some super awesome nerdy famous people... you can just feel the joy radiating out of those images in particular. Your eyes continue along the back wall, there are posters of bad-ass comic heroes, cartoon characters, and nerdy pop culture. Also, a giant stuffed shark wearing a crown?! You unroll your mat, sit on your bolster, and take a deep breath in, while you wait for the class to begin. Looking to your left, you notice your neighbor has a funko pop figure on the floor in front of their mat?! They notice you noticing it, introduce themselves, and explain that they find it helpful for balance (giving them a focal point that doesn’t move), while also helping them feel like a badass. You consider what you might bring next time, because that sounds like an awesome idea.
The teacher draws your attention to the front of the room, and the quest begins!
(Try one of our online quests, all filmed at the Uptown Minneapolis YogaQuest studio: http://www.yogaquest.org/online-quests)
Guillermo del Toro is a Mexican film director, screenwriter, producer, & novelist, and Guillermo del Toro: At Home with Monsters is an exhibition currently at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, here in Minneapolis Minnesota, through May 28th. Del Toro has collected a wide array of fine art, collectibles, and representation of people and stories which inspire him, keeping this collection in a Los Angeles home he calls "Bleak House”.
After a stroll through the exhibition, we noticed some similarities between “Bleak House” and the YogaQuest studio. Both spaces are filled with representations of things that inspire us:
In the #GDTatMia exhibition, actual props from some of his films are on view, along with life size representations of H.P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allen Poe, as well as a replica of his ‘rain room’, where it always sounds like it is raining. At the YQdio, you will find action figures, framed prints, signed portraits, and often a custom soundscape or playlist (I’m looking at you, Vanessa!).
Both spaces inspire curiosity, and when we engage our curiosity, we can more deeply explore what inspires us.
This Thursday, April 20th, YogaQuest will be appearing at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, taking museum goers through the Guillermo del Toro film Crimson Peak, pose by pose... we hope to see you there!
Rose is a recklessly optimistic Hufflepuff, generally amused by pretty much everything, and a helper at heart. She is navigating a career in information technology, while exploring her creative side through writing. She lives in the south metro, with her husband, dog, and two cats.