2011 © rinihurkmans |
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Objects Sculptures Installations
Photo for The Bouquet, Monument of Reflection
2001
hardened glass, cibachrome transparancy,
stainless steel frame, concrete foundation
250 x 360 x 4 cm
The monument is situated on the public green opposite the Railway Station Vlaardingen-Oost,
in the Dutch city of Vlaardingen.
The monument has been unveiled March 2nd, 2001, by the chairman of the National Platform Against Violence in the Public Dominion, W.J. Deetman.
For the "Monument of Reflection", in the city of Vlaardingen the form of a bouquet was chosen because it is a common habit that when society is confronted with acts of senseless violence people bring flowers to the place of the incident to show their compassion and express feelings of impotence and indignation. With such a spontaneous protest society is incited to discuss senseless violence in daily life.
Here the bouquet is not made up of flowers but is formed by a formal group photo of young people. In this age group most acts of senseless violence are committed and victims found, but it is also the group of people who are in the springtime of their life, full of hope, expectations, and idealism.
To give a metaphorical image of society, people from different ethnic backgrounds and classes were selected.
The models look straight into the camera and they are well dressed, although fashion, aesthetic, or trendyness was not an issue; color however was.
The image had to be an orgy of color like a carefully-composed summer bouquet. The white sash the people wear refers to vulnerability, the black band on their arms refers to mourning. Because the photo is contained between two glass plates the viewer will always see his own reflection and thus become part of the group.
The photo of this group of people was made on the spot the monument now is situated. When you are standing on the place from where the photo has been made you see the image on the cibachrome life size and it coincides with the real surroundings. When you walk around the sculpture you notice, because of the static photo, that the surroundings constantly change. You can see busses passing by, people walking, sun and moving clouds, etc. The result is that the work itself constantly looks different.
The image is a transparent layer, a layer of memories put over reality. It is a frozen image of life, but at the same time it makes the viewer conscious of the continuity of life.