The wooden sculpture At the end of a long life was exhibited at the online exhibition On being in 2020 shown at the Sculpturs Alliance New York. The artist writes about the creation of the work:
This piece of wood was originally intended to be firewood. In a friends garden a branch of a very old cherry tree had fallen through snow fall in winter and had already been cut to pieces. I asked for one of the pieces and took it home in a wheelbarrow. I knew that I had to make a cut close to the center of the wood in order to avoid major cracks. This was my only restriction when I designed the shape with a small piece of modeling clay. I then cut the wood into shape with a chainsaw. As it got ever rounder and smaller it became very difficult to work on because it was almost impossible to fix it.
In the beginning I constantly compare the actual work with my model. Then at one point the piece comes to life. I put the model aside and try to let myself be guided by the lines, curves and knots of the piece in front of me. This is what I enjoy most. It is no longer my ratio looking for a satisfying design, but my soul that is taking the lead. At the same time it is the most challenging and exhausting part of my travel with a new piece.
In the beginning the sawing is just work to be done, loud and dusty and strenuous. Now I get hooked and my family will find me working on the piece whenever possible.
I change from from chainsaw to file and then to sandpaper. I love to let my hands glide over the smooth surfaces and follow the lines of the piece. This tactile pleasure always seduces me to strive for perfection. In this case perfection was destroyed as the wood dried. Small cracks opened and the smooth surfaces were distorted in parts. A disappointment at first, however it soon became the characteristic I liked most about this piece.
It reminded me of an old person: life leaves us with wounds, both physically and mentally. Other parts of us will be grinded to become smooth and accepting. Everything about you will give witness of your life. The way you set your pace, the way you hold your head, the way your back arches, the wrinkles in your face: everything tells about the hardships that came to you, the way you dealt with them and your attitude towards life today.
Such the name for this piece of wood came naturally: At the end of a long life it shows both scars and smoothness, like we do as humans.
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