The Mediterranean Basin
The Sculpture Quadrennial, Riga, LV, 05 September - 31 October 2020
The Mediterranean Basin, on the backdrop of today’s polarised political discourse, creates a symbolic platform for uninhibited conversation - a refreshing and harmonious oasis stranded in the crossfires of culture and history. Referencing the public Thermae of ancient Rome, the pool-side environment is examined as a social phenomenon - a social hub for meeting, conversation and discussion. The poolside emphasises the juxtaposition of the gravity of decisions made against the informal setting, thus illustrating the prevalent “mechanisms of power”. The experience of physical heat in this environment is attributed as a prerequisite to the transformation of a raw material into ceramics, as well as a metaphoric catalyst for conversation. Meanwhile gathering by the pool seems like an archaic experience in itself - the water basin attracts all that is living in its premises, inviting change, development and discussion in a new level of intimacy.
This installation was commissioned by The Sculpture Quadrennial –Triumphs of Democracy, 2020.
