Main > Video-Art > Dying Conceptualism

Dying Conceptualism, 2002

From the cycle: An action that has lost its meaning

Land art, ice square, 700x700x100

Place of origin: Kjøllefjord, Finnmark, Norway

 

This work was created in 2002 during my first visit to Norway. Then thoughts of inaction completely occupied my mind.

 

Reading Lao Tzu, I understood his statement: “the world cannot be mastered if one strives for it” as a tool for non-action. His philosophy assured me that sometimes you need to trust the flow and the flow that carries you. The purpose of this work was to show the general meaning of action as such. It seemed to me that if we do nothing, then the world can be kept in its best state of calm, but I was wrong.

Today, 20 years later, the work has taken on new connotations. The ice is melting inexorably, that's a fact. In my project, in five days, tons of ice naturally turned into water, disappeared, dried up, disappeared. Now, in this work, I associate ice with the amount of incoming assistance to Ukrainians who, at the cost of their lives, defend the democratic ideals not only of Ukraine, but of the entire world community.

 

The war continues and cooperation is needed. It is important that help to the Ukrainians does not melt like ice under the burning sun. It is important that the metaphorical image of melting ice does not become a reality of our world, the world as we know it. Each of us at least once in our lives helped someone, considering it our duty to participate in improving someone else's life. I hope my work now will allow you to think about it.

 

...and find rest for your souls — Mf. 11:29