Based on Joel-Peter Witkin's Still Lifes of Horrors & The Personification of Death.
[Course] ART OF DEATH (AHD-2417-A)
[Project Name] Moorland Funeral (Sculpture)
[Material] Clay, Artificial Houseplants
[Project Name] Moorland Funeral (Sculpture)
[Material] Clay, Artificial Houseplants
© DOG6ICK School Project • 'Moorland Funeral' (高沼地葬礼) l 2020.11.15
For the generation of parents, death was an important and serious concept. After death, the body whether buried in the soil or burned to ash is based on the purpose of rest peacefully. Considering their behavior and daily preaching can also inadvertently reveal the anxiety and fear of death.
On the contrary, people in modern times are more concerned with the interpretation of life than with death itself. Rather than fighting it through life, it's more like we’ve already accepted death from the beginning and slowly reconcile with it.
On the contrary, people in modern times are more concerned with the interpretation of life than with death itself. Rather than fighting it through life, it's more like we’ve already accepted death from the beginning and slowly reconcile with it.
The sculpture represents a captured image of a soldier who died in a moorland landscape. After a long journey, he walked across the battlefield and praying for rescue. But at last, the only thing that witnessed his death is the howling nature.
Then he became his own reaper. After he looked back on his lifetime, he chooses to put himself back to earth, it was like a process of peeling off the garment of gender and the identity as a human being. To let plants and microbe slowly digest his flesh, to let go of the nagging injury, the ache that doesn't quite go away, and gnawing fatigue that erodes the spirit.
It is also an interesting phenomenon that the physical span of the existence of this sculpted body crossed at least two eras, from old times to the present. But what ancients feared, moderns embrace it.
Then he became his own reaper. After he looked back on his lifetime, he chooses to put himself back to earth, it was like a process of peeling off the garment of gender and the identity as a human being. To let plants and microbe slowly digest his flesh, to let go of the nagging injury, the ache that doesn't quite go away, and gnawing fatigue that erodes the spirit.
It is also an interesting phenomenon that the physical span of the existence of this sculpted body crossed at least two eras, from old times to the present. But what ancients feared, moderns embrace it.
© DOG6ICK School Project • 'Moorland Funeral' (高沼地葬礼) l 2020.11.15
This work was inspired by the 2nd (The Personification of Death) & 6th (Joel-Peter Witkin's Still Lifes of Horrors) week’s VoiceThread discussion of course ART OF DEATH (AHD-2417-A). The role of flowers as decoration is also emphasized here, as well as the conflict and harmonious coexistence between "dynamic" and "static".
In Joel-Peter Witkin's Still Lifes of Horrors, comparing with other works with floral elements (Salome with the Head of John the Baptist by Caravaggio), the use of decoration is outstanding. The decoration attaches them morals and stories. Blooming flowers will unconsciously remind us of all the good memories and feelings.
In Joel-Peter Witkin's Still Lifes of Horrors, comparing with other works with floral elements (Salome with the Head of John the Baptist by Caravaggio), the use of decoration is outstanding. The decoration attaches them morals and stories. Blooming flowers will unconsciously remind us of all the good memories and feelings.
© DOG6ICK School Project • 'Moorland Funeral' Clay Model l 2020.11.15
As decoration, flowers relieve the cold and solemn atmosphere behind the theme. It also forms a contrast with death - the body is dead and static, but the flowers bring fresh and alive. (Is death static or dynamic? For humans, life is about dynamic, while static generally means death.) At the same time, does it also indicate that the human mind will last longer than the physical body? Even when the flesh has rotted and withered, the great thoughts that remain bear the flowery fruit.
From this respect, the funeral is also a reborn.
© DOG6ICK 2021.3.22
