The Wailers
3 fountains: air-water nozzles for saltwater, floating elements, power supply with interval controllers
Dimension: 10m high, 3 nozzles spread over 20x20m
2015
Sculpture by the Sea Aarhus
In collaboration with Nicolas Vionnet (CH)
Wailing is the outburst of a cry or a howl. Just like this sound our sculpture was only there during the outbursts itself.
This site-specific work has been especially designed for the exhibition in Aarhus. The project involved 3 water fountains near the coastline, just below the water surface that throw water at irregular intervals in the air. Two of the fountains were near each other, a third one was installed a little further away. The fountains aim to imitate a real whale fountain, but can also be seen as an underwater bomb, or a very temporary body of mass. The work aims to approach sculpture in a almost fluid way, making it a surprising addition to the sculptures that are on show: when you see it appear and disappear, causing the work to continue existence in the mind of the viewer. And when it appears again, it always has a different fluid form.
We are aware of the whaling at the Faroe Islands, and we like that next to this work addressing sculptural themes, like body, mass, form and space, we aim to make an ephemeral monument relating to existence, (dis)appearance and vulnerability. This can relate to the whaling, but can also be a work relating to ephemerality itself, leaving a space for the audience to interpret themselves and not be an explicit political work only.
This project was supported by RyPool and exhibited at Sculpture by the Sea Aarhus.
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Nicolas Vionnet & Wouter Sibum: The Wailers (2015) from Nicolas Vionnet - Visual Artist on Vimeo.
