utopiatrap
2012 I mixed media I variable size
”Utopiatrap” is a large installation formed out of more components as sculptures and objects. The parts of the installation are the Kraal the Jump the Trap the Tree and the Trace. In this work I deal with the subject of leaving your homeland. The keywords linked to the concept are: home and wanderlust, social integration, modern migration, cultural globalisation.
For raw material, I use the most basic building material of transylvanian architecture, the pine tree, which I treat with used oil. This method of wood preservation is used extensively in Transylvania, often in the absence of a better, cheaper solution. The stench of the used oil, which masks the scent of the pine tree is also an important aspect of my work. I created these traditional wooden structures with sterility and excessive precision, that goes beyond functionality, thus depriving the construction of its rusticity.
The „Kraal” is a fence system for sheep, in the mountain pasture, which is constantly on the move in the search for fresh grass. This element of my installation symbolises the maleability of different kinds of borders ex. cultural, economic, political. The Kraal is formed by six 200 x 100 cm fence modules, which together form a honeycomb shape.
I use the „jump” as a symbol for desertion and wanderlust. The word „jump” in the hungarian language used in Transylvania also means desertion. The ambiguity of this word fits perfectly within the context of my work. I build the structure itself (190 x 110 x 190 cm) out of pine beams and to cover it with hand cleaved pine shingles..
the trap
Trap I 2011 I wood, used oil, ceramics I 115 x 96 x 96 cm
The structure is a standard cube, manufactured with the ”wolf- tooth joint” technique used extensively in Transylvanian carpentry. One side of the heavy structure is chocked up by a ceramic, white object that is reminiscent of a human organ or maybe a half nut, thus creating tension with its sensitivity and instability.
The cube is made of 115 x 96 x 96, 12 cm wooden beams, which can be taken apart at any time, thanks to the ”wolf-tooth joints”, the cube only being held together by the force of gravity.
The basic idea of the work is a deeply personal and at the same time a global matter.