ABSTRACT Introduction I am concerned and intrigued by life, birth, death, rebirth and the concept of liminality, a term derived from the Latin word ‘limen’ meaning ‘threshold’. Liminality also refers to an in-between state, a space between spaces, limbo state or a twilight zone. On the other hand, certain individuals such as a medium or a gypsy are seen as liminal or outcasts. It is unheard of in the Western society to visit or make contact with such individuals. I chose the forbidden path. Rot-Renew-Rebirth (2010) is a video installation with a focus on the cycle of life and that depicts the emotional side of life and the personal and spiritual meaning of these concepts which we might never find the answers to. It is also a regeneration of the self through the process of self-discovery and coming to terms with the unexplainable. The objects which I used in this installation became a metaphor for the person who is no longer here and traces or memories that were left behind. Clear resin was used for the casting of the objects to create translucent objects which is a reminder of the non-permanence, fleeting and transience of our existence. The process through which these objects were formed necessitated moulding and a degree of heat before the objects were formed. I identified twelve (12) individuals who had a profound influence on my life. Each of these individuals underwent a period of pain and loss of dignity before they departed. It is our experiences that mould and form us and sometimes we have to be exposed to pain more than once before we learn lessons such as appreciation for life, value of friendship, gratitude and the power of forgiveness. The words that appear beneath the objects are personal lessons which I have learnt through my interaction with the individuals. I also went further to destruct the boxes by engraving the antonyms of the words on the Perspex boxes. Destruction was difficult for me, especially because the installation is sacred to me and in memory of those departed, I wanted to tread lightly. By selecting the words, I realised that there is always a duality in everything we experience - life vs. death, beauty vs. decay, compassion vs. indifference, black vs. white and strength vs. weakness. We can even observe how we create clear boundaries between life and death and illness and health and that certain customs still dictate how we relate to these events and act on such occasions. Most of these individuals had to undergo a stage of isolation in a hospital ward which indicated a boundary of space and time for them - boundaries between them and their homes as well as other people. To me personally the whole catharsis which I undertook was not only a form of ritual but also a journey. I investigated the symbolic meaning of salt and fonts and how it can form part of this ritual. Salt could be viewed as a symbol of peace, friendship, to refresh, renew and as a preserver and purifier. For instance in funeral offerings found in ancient Egyptian tombs, salt was used as a purifier of sacred spaces and locations. I used salt in the video as a ritual to purify and cleanse the objects and to renew feelings and emotions. Imprints of the objects were left in the salt in the bases of the installations to portray liminality - the people are neither here nor there - only traces and memories of what were left behind remained. It is the association to ceremony, ritual and seriousness which made me to select Solemnity as a font for the installation. Artist’s research and influences I conducted research on the video and installation of the artist Bill Viola who in many works deals with liminality and transgression. His art is described by Townsend (2008:8) as an art that addresses questions such as life and death, and ‘why are we here?’ It is an art that is focused on ideas underpinning human consciousness and experiences such as birth, death, life, existence and emotion. Viola seemed the most relevant to my scope of interest and influenced how I chose to present Rot-Renew-Rebirth (2010). What stood out about Viola’s work is his radical different content and message. He challenges his viewers to think critically about the meaning and the context of the images and the relationship between the images and the sound. To me it became a spiritual reflection which allowed me to experience art not only through seeing but also hearing. Townsend (2004:15) refers to Viola’s examination and representation of the spiritual as ‘brave’, especially during a time when this ‘has been largely off-limits’. I specifically chose to involve a medium in my search for interconnectedness between the living and the departed, even though my childhood Christian upbringing condemned such a relationship. For me this journey of enlightenment became psychologically very meaningful. Artists often use their art to make links between the past, present and future. It is through their art that artists want to share with the viewer their experiences and hopefully make an impact. Geusa (1951:206) points out that ‘it is our desire to perpetuate our own experience of personal meaning and transformation’. To me art is a way to communicate, to understand, to survive and to share the language of the soul. With Rot-Renew-Rebirth (2010) my intention was to give an exposition of the self by portraying how experiences had a profound meaning on me as a person and how I allowed these experiences to mould, form and shape me.
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