sculpture and the wheelchair // conceptual writing on the speculative art installation
V&A Museum, London
I was waiting for my friend in the Victoria and Albert Museum, when I caught myself staring at this composition - the wheelchair left in front of the sculpture.
Looked inconspicuous, but in my mind I have created the story, as it could be an art installation. Figure of the woman presents her body only from her breast above.
I know, it’s because it is the bust, but what if this is on purpose? What if this woman due to the accident is paralysed? Yet, her whole body is not being presented as the sculpture. She used to be a healthy young woman, but suddenly everything has changed and she can no
longer be fully active. Pain, a lot of pain. Terrifying lack of breath, accompanying the figure, but also the viewer watching, because we all have felt pain at some point of our lives. That is why we identify with it. This is why it is art. The art that is needed. To feel understood, to feel like we’re not the only one.
The wheelchair, usually associated with sad and stressful moments in our life, here, has appeared as the flicker of hope. The figure doesn’t want to look at it, doesn’t want to face the frightening reality, but it’s her opportunity to stay alive - to explore what’s still unexplored, explore it in the way she wouldn’t ever wanted to imagine her life would be. The wheelchair is directed towards the audience and the surrounding world, as an invitation to turn the page and start to live.
Even though, it’s not the life that anyone wouldn’t ever want to imagine.
Looked inconspicuous, but in my mind I have created the story, as it could be an art installation. Figure of the woman presents her body only from her breast above.
I know, it’s because it is the bust, but what if this is on purpose? What if this woman due to the accident is paralysed? Yet, her whole body is not being presented as the sculpture. She used to be a healthy young woman, but suddenly everything has changed and she can no
longer be fully active. Pain, a lot of pain. Terrifying lack of breath, accompanying the figure, but also the viewer watching, because we all have felt pain at some point of our lives. That is why we identify with it. This is why it is art. The art that is needed. To feel understood, to feel like we’re not the only one.
The wheelchair, usually associated with sad and stressful moments in our life, here, has appeared as the flicker of hope. The figure doesn’t want to look at it, doesn’t want to face the frightening reality, but it’s her opportunity to stay alive - to explore what’s still unexplored, explore it in the way she wouldn’t ever wanted to imagine her life would be. The wheelchair is directed towards the audience and the surrounding world, as an invitation to turn the page and start to live.
Even though, it’s not the life that anyone wouldn’t ever want to imagine.
