Gossan (sentences)

“the same wind waves both flags of sentence and prayer”

artist notes (2022)

“minerals, bodies, dreams, stars: stratification of self and the world”

artist notes (2022)

Concept

In Roman Empire, condemnation to the mines (damnatio ad metalla) was interrelated to violent exploitation and death. Inspired by the etymology of sentence as poetic and judicial one, the text-based installation develops historical, colonial and geological points; having flags, poetry, soundscape of mines and birds, as well as copper wire as materialities of dreaming, praying, trauma and resistance. Drawing to gossan; a highly oxidised rock from weather at the ground’s surface, often a sign of copper veins beneath the surface, the work reveals a silent flag gesture of stratified meanings of minerals, bodies, dreams and stars; sentences which weave the personal and the universal; the fleshy and the imaginary. The wind waves both flags of sentence and prayer in the same way.

Description

Title: Gossan (sentences)

Description: 4 custom made satin flags, poetry, copper wire, soundscape

Sentences: condemnation to mines, domination to dreams, occupation on bodies, wish to the stars

Dimensions: 200x120cm, in situ installation variable (mosque, Kalavasos)

Year: 2022

Courtesy of the artist ©

Exhibition Catalogue: https://issuu.com/pinpv/docs/catalogue_isuu

Credits

Concept – Creation: Bill Psarras

The artist would like to thank in particular Klitsa Antoniou, George Lazoglou, Gabriel Koureas and Melita Couta (artist) for the kind support, the Kalavasos community for hospitality, as well as F.E. company for their collaboration

Selected Exhibitions

The work was commissioned for the Under/Mining international group exhibition curated by Dr. Gabriel Koureas (Cyprus), Herman Bashiron Mendolicchio (Italy) and George Lazoglou (Cyprus) with invited artists: Klitsa Antoniou (Cyprus), Trevor Borg (Malta), Vince Briffa (Malta), Elina Ioannou (Cyprus), Melita Couta (Cyprus), Bill Psarras (Greece), Lara Salmon (USA), Constantinos Taliotis (Cyprus), Leontios Toumpouris (Cyprus), Adonis Volanakis (Greece)