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The Holy Circle
The circle is holy being a system unto itself, a harmonic entity analogous to and symbolic of the cosmic revolving course of becoming and passing away – and eternal Being, analogous also to the revolving course of Nature which is being disturbed, though, in many places through the interference of man.
In many old cultures, the circle had a central, often magical meaning – as in Stonehenge, in Mexico, with the Red Indians of North America etc. In the present and into the future it points out a synologie with modern architecture.
In our times, it may not be sufficient to make do with the given holy space, i.e. the churches, chapels, mosques, temples etc. and with the holy mountains from premordial times. The point is to carry the idea of "The Holy" everywhere and to awaken it - free of a fixed appointed direction of faith. Man has to create new holy spaces, holy circles, e.g. also in a place where due to his destructive interference nature has gotten out of balance or threatens to get out of balance.
In the interior of the circle, human beings shall be able to find shelter, it shall be a place for recollection and devotion, for meditation and for peace. The sculptures are conceived in a way that they communicate with each other. To the Chassidic people every human being, every event and every place was considered holy. These circles are meant to remind of this potential and to make visible what is hidden. In this sense, they are also to be understood as a memorial to remind of a loss and of a re-awakening. The holy circle is always conceived of as an expansion of existing holy spaces. As the Holy Circle meets us unexpectedly in the landscape, its counterpoint as well, its vulnerability becomes evident. Everywhere holy spaces are being violated be they of a spiritual or material nature. Also the dignity of man is holy. As in nature also with human beings holy spaces are being violated. The results are the destruction of the environment and disease.
I wish to reintegrate the idea of "the Holy" into art.
In Orselina, Locarno, I already created the prototype of a Holy Circle – see the photos on this website. The sculptures can be made of marble or sandstone as well as of wood – preferably darker types of wood as Robinia, wood of the plum tree or local types of wood. And they can vary in size from larger than life - about 2.50 m in height, 0.50 to 0.80 m wide, so that these larger than life figures face the onlooker at eye-level - ranging all the way to miniatures – 50 to 80 cm in height, so that it may appear as if the circle were reaching us merely from afar. What I envisage is to create a sacred circular space which is clearly set off from the profane environment of life or which sets a specific accent within the landscape, in nature. The number of sculptures could also vary from one circle to the other, consisting of eight, nine or twelve. The sculptures should have a totemlike character relating to African or Oceanian originals or those from regions of Indian culture. The idea is to accompany the work by meditation. I could imagine a Holy Circle consisting of 12 projectors installed in the ground and beaming lights of a specific - possibly even variable - colour spectrum which unites forming a cone of light or radiating into all directions of the surroundings. I am also thinking of a circular sound installation with 12 sources from which the Mantra Ram would resound. |
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