Imaginary City Review
The big name “Chudori” has brought me to a cashier table; wondering how good a daughter of Leila S. Chudori’s work is. Turned out, the art side of a mother has streamed through her daughter’s blood. I’m surprised that this is the work of 23-year-old girl, which is same with me. I’ve read some of literatures, and I can say that she has specialty and absolutely wins a space in my heart.
At the first time I opened the plastic wrap, I was excited for seeing a large piece of paper hidden between the pages. I read it first and imagined how the story was going. I read thoroughly about each places she mentioned. It definitely had meaning to this story.
Imaginary City starts in a studio, which she refers to “she and he”. From the first page till the last one, the referring subject “she and he” shows a distance. A distance between their real world and their blurry one. However, my conjunction “and” shows their relationship, intimacy and one-to-another part. Another but is, the words “she and he” will only become a single reference in their mind, the written reference still uses the conjunction.
As I have said, Rain Chudori gives us chance to think about certain spaces with their time. Each places are on the girl’s heart. Each places has time to remember. Just like the city and its content with their past, she always has a space for him. They know each other for only at that moment, but they have met each other from some moments. That builds a city where she and he lives in. It gives certain times with certain spaces that imprints on their memory.
The memory of him will not fade away as long as he wakes up next to her. But still, she never knows when the sun rises and the morning greets if he’s still the same, his arms still be the warm place to stay. Turns out darkness is more lovely to her because she doesn’t have to think about anyone else; only her and her own city. She loves the city that much; the city in the night for night and dark have more secrets.
Meanwhile, things about him is grey. He is in between; stranger and friend. He doesn’t want to be involved in anything but he opens his arms widely to her; and his arms are still the best place for her to stay. He wipes her tears, gives her space to love, tells her his secrets. So, what’s not lovely about it? He wants her either, but the more she asks, the lesser he gives. He will give when she stop asking. He will stay when she asks to leave. He will leave when she asks him to stay.
In brief, the city that fulfilled with memory has given me chance to know and love better. It shows me to love my secret and make them special for the night is full of uncertainty and hope. And light guides us to walk in our own path, striving in what you do and believe and lives at spaces that you like.
*image source: Penerbit KPG
