In Chains Sculpture and Drawing Exhibition
St. John's College, Douglas Street Campus
Fri 27 Sep 2024
5pm
FREE
Exhibition of sculpture and graphics by Rosa & Ros
" In Chains"
There is no bigger prison than the one you build for yourself in your own mind; the strongest chains are the ones you put on yourself. There is no longer sentence than a life sentence that you impose on yourself.
That is what we do. In some cases, it's society, the media, parents, or others who contribute to it—but ultimately, it's us.
There are many chains, many forms of enslavement, that we experience throughout our lives. Mine are my beliefs, the need for love—both physical and emotional—addictions, overthinking, being stuck in the past, self-judgment, the need for appreciation. But anything, really, might become a burden. This series of sculptures is about these burdens. Can we break the chains? It’s probably the hardest thing to do because there is no one to blame. The enemy is within us.
I always found the struggle against myself the hardest one to conquer.
I remember telling my brother about this series. He said, “Maybe you should do one about breaking the chains.” So, I did. I thought it
was a good idea, but unfortunately, this one is probably the most miserable of all. Although the chains are broken, they’re still hanging from the wrists, reminding us of the enslavement.
My wife said, “Where is the hope in that text?”
I don’t know if there is any hope at all, and I don’t think it’s the artist's job to present one. The main role of art is to ask questions. I hope you will ask yourself a question about enslavements. Do you have any? What is the nature of them? What does it mean to be free?
I simply don’t know the answers.
In fact, in art, we are still asking the same questions over and over again—basic questions: What is the nature of life, beauty, human existence? Only the circumstances change; time changes. The answers remain the same: none.
It’s as restless as water in a toilet tank, flushing away the dirt of past lives. As soon as we get rid of one chain, another one comes, wrapped around our necks.
People call it change.
I didn’t sign the sculptures. I never do. I didn’t label which one represents which burden, so you’ll have to figure it out yourself, if you wish to.
I didn’t want to make them obvious, and that’s where the fun begins.
My friend Ros said the figures seem to be wearing masks.
I didn’t make sculptures of any particular person. I think we’re as different as we can be, yet at the same time, we have so much in common.
Being in chains is what makes us the same. Struggling with the same fears and issues makes us the same. I’ve always felt so different from others, yet we’re all struggling with the same things.
Maybe that’s why I make sculptures that seem to be masked.
I really don’t know.
