ABOUT THE WORKMaterial: hand-spun wool threads, felt rug “shyrdak”, resin galoshes and mirrors.The installation “Unity” is inspired from the Kyrgyz... Read More
ABOUT THE WORK
Material: hand-spun wool threads, felt rug “shyrdak”, resin galoshes and mirrors.
The installation “Unity” is inspired from the Kyrgyz proverb: The more feet enters your home, the more blessings they bring. Oral traditions in Kyrgyz culture are the base of education, hence the biggest epic in the world - Manas. In nomadic culture, the sense of community is key for survival. Unity and hospitality are important concepts of the tradition that are strongly respected and followed. In tribal societies, individualism is regarded as a sign of loneliness and weakness which signifies little or no chance of survival. This is an interactive installation that encourages the viewer to take off their shoes and enter the “alachyk” form, thereby becoming a part of the artwork. It includes a traditional Kyrgyz felt rug (3 meters in diameter) with an elaborate “oimo” pattern; its round shape resembles the yurt’s structure and also represents the circle of life. Around the rug are over 200 of black resin galoshes that signifies the long standing tradition – in Asian cultures as a mark of respect it is required to take off shoes before entering a home, a yurt. All the shoes are tied with a single red woollen thread, and then tied in one tight knot resembling a tepee-like nomadic home’s shape, emphasising that the power is in unity. The round mirror in the centre of the rug reflects the knot above it, to highlight the power symbol of unity. We must remember that when people come together, there is a blessing.