Passages of Substance, by Kalliopi Lemos
at the Byzantine Museum in Athens.
A commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard.
(So many events were being organised in Copenhagen when we were there in June....seeing this exhibition brought it all back)
Kierkegaard argued that faith is a unique subjective passion, which is not expressed by ecclesiastical rituals - only through this faith can one discover one's true self.
Self-quest is depicted in the installation 'Passages of Substance' by Kalliopi Lemos. The 3.47m long sweet chestnut wood boat carries twelve semi-abstract haunted salt heads to symbolise the crossing and the lonely search for self-awareness. The salt heads, with their distorted expressions of pain and agony, are positioned throughout the length of the boat encapsulating the meaning of life and what remains of this journey. They reflect the difficulty of the voyage, the achievement of reaching the destination, as well as the experiences of life that shape each person's individuality.
looking closer
and closer.
Salt on the ground all around the boat.
This interesting piece looks as if the experience of being with it was quite powerful. It brought to mind Ana Maria Pacheco's The longest journey - maybe also because I am immersed in thinking about seas at present.
ReplyDeleteIt was a powerful experience Olga, but also oddly comforting, being in that cocoon-like space.
DeleteI really like Maria Pacheco's work and was fortunate to see an exhibition of her in Coventry, a few years ago.