Three Trees: Alberto Giacometti’s Art as Theatre and History

Playwright Alvin Eng and Art Historian Laurie Wilson will discuss Eng’s play, “Three Trees,” a historical drama that explores the unique relationship between 20th century Parisian artist, Alberto Giacometti, and his muse/model, Japanese Existential Philosopher, Isaku Yanaihara. The Pan Asian Repertory Theatre will present the World Premiere of this play at the West End Theare, NYC, March 23 – April 14, 2013. (www.panasianrep.org/three_trees.shtml)

During the 1950s, Alberto created many portraits of Isaku. For many consecutive summers, Alberto flew Isaku from Tokyo to Paris to continue their sessions. Still, the artist felt he could never fully capture the philosopher’s essence. A deep, complicated love, through art, grew. This love became an obsession that upended everything and everyone in its path. Isaku was forever changed. Alberto’s intimate, insular life with his wife Annette and brother Diego was also never the same.

“Three Trees” is the first of Eng’s Portrait Plays cycle of historical dramas about artists and portraiture. As such, the play also dramatizes the premise of a portrait’s spiritual ownership. When we become enraptured by a portrait, are we under the spell of the artist or model?