From
the winter simplicity of the Woluwe Park in Brussels (Belgium) this
artwork explores some of the foundational
conflicts
of western society in the 21st century: our desperate denial of the
psychological and philosophical clash
between contradictory
desires, experiences and realities; and our longing to connect with
the natural dimension of life, while we suffocate it with deeply
ingrained habits of extractive consumption.
“–Tal
es, raza mortal, tu cobardía.
(…)
y tu nodriza
no
olvides, Demofón, que fue una diosa;
ella
trocó en maciza
tu
floja carne y la tiñó de rosa,
y
te dio el ancho torso, el brazo fuerte,
y
más te quiso dar y más te diera:
con
la llama que libra de la muerte,
la
eterna juventud por compañera.”
Antonio
Machado’s poetry (1875-1939) accompanies this piece of
environmental art which challenges the spectator about the concepts
of luxury vs. primary need and
accessory
vs. fundamental consumption. It does so through an everyday product
with a useful life of less
than
1 minute, in contrast with the 5 million minutes of life of a young
tree cut down to make the virgin pulp. This ephemeral artwork, made
with non-harmful and biodegradable materials, is conceived to remain
installed in nature until its complete degradation.
