The Golden Pavilion. 1993 What is essentially remote is the unapproachable. In fact, the main quality of an image used for worship is its inapproachability. By its very nature, it is always remote, as close as it may be. One can approach its material reality, but without undermining the remote character it conserves once it has appeared. Walter Benjamin. The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction.
Installation made of raw wood, golden leaf, natural clay mixed with lime and cement, spotlight and motor. Dimensions: 3 x 3 m base, 6 m in height.
Description: The shape of the installation is a simple rectangular wood construction of two superimposed cubes. Inside of the pavilion, halfway up, the space is imaginary divided into two equal sections, horizontally. The texture’s walls inside are also different. The lower part walls are made of earth and hay mixed with a bit of lime and cement to strengthen, the upper section is entirely covered in gold leaf. Pending from the ceiling there is a spot light that turns very slowly, projecting a beam around the interior space that only illuminates the golden part.
Concept:
A rectangular structure divided in it’s interior, in two equal sections or parts. The height of the division (3mts) was established by keeping in mind, how far up a human being can reach by fully extending one’s arms. The upper part thus remains untouchable and inaccessible.
In the lower part, a very physical section of the pavilion, where the material is applied directly by hand –and hand’s marks are visible-, while placing emphasis on the anthropomorphic dimensions of the piece, these marks account for the effort required to build these walls.
On the other hand, the upper section is made with the aid of tools; this as result of conceived it as the piece’s rational part. Part with walls full of smooth, well finished and entirely covered with gold leaf.
The ceiling as well as the floor and door, are simply built of rough wood planks. The light installed on the ceiling turns gradually, illuminating just the glided section. The latter is extremely reflective.
The circle of light is automatically reflected onto the other walls, rendering the entire space very bright, filled with a light that becomes practically immaterial, as it comes with the metal and that is so intense that the observation by the visitors is almost intolerably painful. Visitor-viewer standing in the shadows, confronted with the weight of the earth that surround him, is forced to keep the eyes on the lower section made of concrete, and to become aware of the raw matter, as well as apart of the intangible universe of ideas, that remains inaccessible to human being’s senses.
Xawery Wolski, Paris, 1993.
The Golden Pavilion. 1993 What is essentially remote is the unapproachable. In fact, the main quality of an image used for worship is its inapproachability. By its very nature, it is always remote, as close as it may be. One can approach its material reality, but without undermining the remote character it conserves once it has appeared. Walter Benjamin. The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction.
Installation made of raw wood, golden leaf, natural clay mixed with lime and cement, spotlight and motor. Dimensions: 3 x 3 m base, 6 m in height.
Description: The shape of the installation is a simple rectangular wood construction of two superimposed cubes. Inside of the pavilion, halfway up, the space is imaginary divided into two equal sections, horizontally. The texture’s walls inside are also different. The lower part walls are made of earth and hay mixed with a bit of lime and cement to strengthen, the upper section is entirely covered in gold leaf. Pending from the ceiling there is a spot light that turns very slowly, projecting a beam around the interior space that only illuminates the golden part.
Concept:
A rectangular structure divided in it’s interior, in two equal sections or parts. The height of the division (3mts) was established by keeping in mind, how far up a human being can reach by fully extending one’s arms. The upper part thus remains untouchable and inaccessible.
In the lower part, a very physical section of the pavilion, where the material is applied directly by hand –and hand’s marks are visible-, while placing emphasis on the anthropomorphic dimensions of the piece, these marks account for the effort required to build these walls.
On the other hand, the upper section is made with the aid of tools; this as result of conceived it as the piece’s rational part. Part with walls full of smooth, well finished and entirely covered with gold leaf.
The ceiling as well as the floor and door, are simply built of rough wood planks. The light installed on the ceiling turns gradually, illuminating just the glided section. The latter is extremely reflective.
The circle of light is automatically reflected onto the other walls, rendering the entire space very bright, filled with a light that becomes practically immaterial, as it comes with the metal and that is so intense that the observation by the visitors is almost intolerably painful. Visitor-viewer standing in the shadows, confronted with the weight of the earth that surround him, is forced to keep the eyes on the lower section made of concrete, and to become aware of the raw matter, as well as apart of the intangible universe of ideas, that remains inaccessible to human being’s senses.
Xawery Wolski, Paris, 1993.