Blog No. 236: Carl Jung Self Discovery, Artist Oladimeji Alabi, Two Refreshing Cold Summer Soups

Carl Jung and the Journey of Self Discovery

Illustration from Jung’s The Red Book—Click image to see the pdf of the whole Red Book

Illustration from Jung’s The Red Book. Click image to see more of Jung’s art.

I have long been fascinated by Carl Jung and his holistic approach to psychology. His concept includes a much broader sense of the term to include aspects of the unknown, the intangible and the spiritual. That makes a lot more sense to me and in fact is the source of his conflicts with Freud, who believed everything had its source in sexuality. In addition to our own experiences, thoughts, and memories, Jung believed that we were also influenced by the history of our civilization, what he termed the collective unconscious, and how cultures across the globe share similar versions of the same story.

This short documentary (less than twenty minutes), one in a series of educational films serves as a primer to Jung's life and work, his theories on the unconscious, his relationship and eventual split with his original mentor Sigmund Freud, and even addresses, head on, the claims that Jung was an anti-semite. If you, like me, are interested in learning more about Jung, this is a great place to start...So many of Jung's ideas and contributions are now deeply woven into our lives in more ways than we realize....

Artist Oladimeji Alabi

I recently had the pleasure of meeting the Nigerian artist Oladimeji Alabi, introduced to me by Prince Mapp, a co-worker of my daughter Morgan.

Olademeji met and married an American of Nigerian descent and moved to the States about a year go. He came to visit me in my studio a couple days ago just to talk and compare notes. He, like me, works in a variety of different media including painting, sculpture, textile design and clothing. An incredibly versatile artist, I thought I would share some of his art here and point you in his direction if you are interested in learning more about him and his work (email artofalabi@gmail.com to reach him directly).

One thing I found amazing was the affinity he had to my husband, the late Danish artist Gert Mathiesen's work, as seen in his textile patterns and designs. Whether in Denmark, Nigeria, Australia, or anywhere in the world (Keith Haring also comes to mind), we all seem to share similar references and a collective consciousness.

Click images of his clothing to see his instagram devoted to his textiles:

Two Refreshing Cold Summer Soups

CHILLED CUCUMBER SOUP, 2 to 4 servings
Courtesy Melissa Clark and the NYTimes Cooking App
INGREDIENTS
1 pound cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise and seeded
2 cups buttermilk (or use 1½ cups plain yogurt plus ¼ cup water)
1 large garlic clove, peeled and smashed
2 anchovy fillets (optional)
2 small whole scallions, trimmed
½ jalapeño, seeded, deveined and chopped
½ cup packed mixed fresh herbs (like mint, parsley, dill, tarragon, basil and cilantro)
½ teaspoon sherry or white wine vinegar, more to taste
¾ teaspoon kosher sea salt, plus more to taste
4 slices baguette or other bread, toasted
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
½ lemon
Extra-virgin olive oil, for serving
Freshly ground black pepper
1 ear of corn, shucked, kernels sliced off
Fresh dill, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS Combine cucumber, buttermilk, garlic, anchovy, scallions, jalapeño, fresh herbs, sherry vinegar and salt in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and adjust seasoning as needed.

On the toasted bread, smash the avocado slices. Sprinkle with crumbled feta, squeeze the juice of the lemon half over the top and finish each with a drizzle of olive oil and some pepper. Transfer to a plate and set aside.


Distribute soup between 4 bowls and garnish with raw corn kernels and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve avocado toast on the side.

GAZPACHO SOUP, serves 8-10

thanks to my cousin, Joanne Kahn
INGREDIENTS (with one surprising one)
combine 3 garlic cloves, pressed
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2-3 cups tomatoes, chopped (about 4 tomatoes)
2 cups cucumbers, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup onion,chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped
1/3 cup veg oil, chopped (just kidding)
1-2 teaspoons salt
 1/2-1 teaspoon tabasco, depending on how spicy you want it

*32 oz. bottle of clamato juice

Combine all ingredients in a food processer and puree.
Chill and enjoy. Garnish with homemade croutons and a drizzle of olive oil.

My dad really enjoyed this soup when my cousin Joanne Kahn would serve it at our annual family pool parties at her house in Westport--many moons ago.

Painting of the Week

A very early collaboration between Gert Mathiesen and myself from the late 1980s, the beginnings of our small boat series:

Charity of the Week: National Dance Institute

(click image to donate)

Pet of the Week:
Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened."
Please send me photos of your favorite pets with a brief description and/or story

This is PIXOTE, her rescue kitty soulmate, submitted by childhood friend Amy Hirsch

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About The Author

New York City based contemporary artist, Pam Smilow, began writing the creative lifestyle blog “things we love” in an effort to foster a sense of community during times of isolation and reflection. To read more about her and her art, visit her website and check out the essay written by Frank Matheis entitled The Sophisticated Innocence of Pam Smilow.