Fate

There are times in our lives when we feel lost and don't know which way to move on with life. In a time like that I was invited by Krinzinger Galerie to go on a residency in Sri Lanka for two months. In this way I was given an amazing opportunity to find a quiet place with my mind and get immersed in the beautiful nature all around.

During my time there, I encountered a rotten tree stump which was being washed up at the beach. Often, when I would walk on the beach, I would find this immensely big stump in a different spot. Some days it would disappear, just to appear again a few days later. I felt drawn to this heavy, black lump and decided to create a sculpture with it.

Fate

Tree stump the way I first saw it being washed up on the beach.
Ahungalla, Sri Lanka 2010

Fate

With some help from the staff of One World Foundation Sri Lanka we picked up this heavy load to bring it in.
Ahungalla, Sri Lanka 2010

Fate

My friend helped me carve this big piece.
Ahungalla, Sri Lanka 2010

Fate

Trying my own hand with it.
Ahungalla, Sri Lanka 2010

Fate

Sound sculpture 2010,
20 x 24 x 29″, Wood, MP3 Player. Sound recording.

A hollowed out tree stump that washed up on the shore of Ahungalla, Sri Lanka. Listening to it, one can hear the ocean and a voice singing. The song is the aria about fate from Bizet’s opera Carmen. Carmen sings this song when she is seeing her approaching death on the card she laid out for herself. She sings how fate cannot be meddled with. Whats written in the great book above is what is meant to happen. There is nothing anyone can do.

Photo by my friend Thomas Wirthensohn

Fate

Pencil and gouache on paper, 2010
8.2 x 12”

Video of sound sculpture: A voice can be heard from within the sculpture singing Carmen’s aria from the card scene from Bizet’s opera Carmen
Materials: Wood, MP3 Player. Sound recording. Dimensions: 20 x 24 x 29″
I created this piece on a residency in Sri Lanka organized by Krinzinger Gallery and One World Foundation.

Text and translation of Carmen's aria:

En vain pour éviter les réponses amères,
In vain, to avoid bitter responses,

en vain tu mêleras,
In vain you will shuffle,

cela ne sert à rien, les cartes sont sincères
that serves nothing, the cards are sincere

et ne mentiront pas!
and will not lie!

Dans le livre d'en haut si ta page est heureuse,
In the book on high, if your page is happy,

mêle et coupe sans peur,
shuffle and cut without fear,

la carte sous tes doigts se tournera joyeuse,
the card under your fingers will turn up joyful,

t'annonçant le bonheur!
Announcing to you happiness!

Mais si tu dois mourir, si le mot redoutable
But, if you have to die, if the dreadful word

est écrit par le sort,
is written by fate,

recommence vingt fois, la carte impitoyable
restart twenty times, the pitiless card

Répétera: la mort!
Will repeat: death!

Encore! encore! Toujours la mort!
Again! again! always death!