Initial Situation and EU context, by Christine Bauer-Jelinek
- Helene Avramidis work of art is based on the principle of the relationship existing between an entity and its components. The same principle is refelcted in organisms and organisations , thus also beeing relevant within the context of the relations between a community and its members. The symbolism accentuates the aspect of diversity and individuality as related to a superior whole.
- The European Union is currently engaged in a discussion on an intensified commitment to common politico-cultural strategies. Contrary to this approach , however, cultures have always developed in line with country-specific particularities. This field of tension requiers an answer designed to consider both aspects – the common as well as the individual features- in a balanced proportion.
Idea and attribution
The work "A Stone`s Metamorphosis" offers the opportunity to appoint one of its manifold positions to every single member state of the EU.
This means , that every EU memeber state develops its individual position – whose sense and symbolic character solely exists in the context of all other states – by using the same four stones that constitute the collective basic material.
In this way the perspective to create an integrative symbol for the togetherness of the European Union is granted.
Thoughts for realisation
Each one of the EU-member-states is invited to select one of these positions ,
to set it up on a appropriate place and to show it during a nocturnal multimedia opening. The sculpture remains in place.
Since this work doesn`t represent an individual sculpture, it will be comprehensible
only through the presence of its various positions.
Without big effort it would be possible to change the positions of the four stones again and again.
That would come to a turnover of the various sculpture positions within the countries of the European Union.
Further on a computer-access placed in the vicinity of the sculpture`s location would be thinkable. Thus all the various positions and a documentation about the exhibition and the current situation in the rest of the EU-member-states could be requested.
Performance
Zu Beginn der nächtlichen Performance steht die Skulptur in ihrer Ausgangsposition als geschlossener Steinquader an dem Platz , der zu ihrer Aufstellung bestimmt wurde.
Sie wird von vier halbtransparenten Projektionswänden verhüllt und erst während der Performance live von zwei Teleskopkranwägen in die ausgewählte Position gebracht.
- At the beginning of the nocturnal performance ,the illuminated parallelepiped block of stone is visible through the semitransparent projection walls.
- Then two films are started ,showing the development of the sculpture`s different shapes , starting from its original appearance.
- Two truck-mounted telescopic cranes take their position – with their headlights fully turned on – the projection walls are folded down and taken away , thus giving a view over the parallelepiped block of stone.
- Some workers and cranes then lift up the stones – each one weighing some 4 to 10 tons – and move them into their position.
Potential and Development
The entity reveals its components – a germ gives birth to diversity
The individual and the collective enter into relation
Philosophy looking for its equivalent in everyday life
Meanings and rapports that may possibly find their support here
The yearning for beauty in all things
Enjoyment derived from cognition
– Christine Bauer-Jelinek
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