HYPERNMESTRA AND I WERE BOTH BROKEN - BUT WE WOMEN, RISE AGAIN - A reflective piece about female objectification and the transforming state of brokenness. A hand carved Carrara marble sculpture. Width 84 cm, height 47 cm, depth 39 cm, weight approximately 200 kg.
The piece is a self-reflective, and personal - notably feminine - contemporary interpretation of the original sculpture La Danaide by Rodin, enriched with a dimension of insightful introspection and current social significance. A sharp mirror shard is placed before the woman’s eyes.
HYPERNMESTRA AND I WERE BOTH BROKEN - BUT WE WOMEN, RISE AGAIN is the sculpture of a defeated woman - a modern Hypermnestra, also known as La Danaide - at the moment of despair, lying cringed and curled on the floor.
A mirror shard is placed in front of her eye. It makes the female figure faceless and anonymous - she could be any woman today.
When the spectator looks into the shard, it reflects the person’s own face. Even if one looks behind the sharp shard, the face of the female figure is not visible.
The face remains hidden behind the sculpted hair and hand. This ensures the woman’s anonymity, and makes it possible for the spectator to think oneself as the one lying broken.
The female figure is nearly naked - physically and mentally. The spectator witnesses the intense, emotional moment of mental brokenness, resulting in this intimate pose.
A significant detail forms the sculpted panties - by which the original La Danaide sculpture is now catapulted to the present time. Equally important, is that by this, contrasting associations give the viewer conflicting signals, and leave room for multiple interpretations.
The spectator may see a vulnerable, broken woman, and possible feel compassion, maybe recognise oneself in her. The sharp cut shard symbolises - and exudes - the perceived, piercing, emotional pain. While the tiny string not only makes the work contemporary, but also emphasises the buttocks, and the sensuality in the posture.
By this, the woman becomes vulnerable, and seductive desirable at the same time. The interesting question is, what will be the dominant interpretation of the spectator.
The sacred marble, the highly polished back, the fine lines in the pose, the smooth shoulder blades and the wavy hair, all exude a soft streamlined energy that has been made possible with the greatest attention and effort.
But, suddenly there is the whimsical - worthless - illogical, penetrating imperfect shard. Stuck into the polished image like a knife. A huge jammer in the harmonious balance. A counterforce within the art piece itself, establishing a pervasive tension, and expressing the antagonistic, duality, and complexity for women today.
The art piece is not only a psychological, self-reflective, and aesthetic piece. It clearly has a - moralistic - social message, besides communicating this inner- and outer- conflict of women today.
It illustrates the unrighteous normalisation of female harassment, and the complex role, the ancillary dualistic, feelings for modern women. Who despite all changes in society remain ‘objects of desire and seduction’ - but posses great - resurrecting - strength.
HYPERNMESTRA AND I WERE BOTH BROKEN - BUT WE WOMEN, RISE AGAIN expresses the believe that pushing back men, regarding women’s safety and respect, including the metoo movement, was badly needed to rebalance society, and to create a new playing field. Like healing a wound, and adjust society’s code of conduct.
Rodin’s sculpture La Danaide was deliberately chosen to communicate this message. The Greek mythological story on which Rodin's La Danaide is based, is the story of Hypernmestra.
Hypernmestra was one of the fifty daughters of ancient king Danaus, who arranged for his fifty daughters to marry, and secretly ordered them all, to kill their husbands during their wedding nights. Only one daughter Hypermnestra, did not obey her father’s command, because her husband respected her wish not to have sexual intercourse during the wedding night.
The fact that, this man respected the personal values and wishes of a woman, saved his life. It is this message - besides expressing women’s survival power - that the work wants to send out. Not to disrespect the boundaries of women. HYPERNMESTRA AND I WERE BOTH BROKEN - BUT WE WOMEN, RISE AGAIN is a warning to men, and a call for women to see their own strength.
HYPERNMESTRA AND I WERE BOTH BROKEN - BUT WE WOMEN, RISE AGAIN captured the emotional state of mind, when Hypermnestra was brought to court for disobeying her father, and was expecting death penalty. But what the original sculpture doesn't show, is that by Aphrodite’s divine interference, Hypermnestra’s circumstances will change drastically.
The title HYPERNMESTRA AND I WERE BOTH BROKEN - BUT WE WOMEN, RISE AGAIN does share with the spectator this insight, and combines it with an introspective, psychological, and encouraging understanding. Meaning that this contemporary, anonymous woman, as well as the spectator - regardless of gender - and Hympernestra according to the story, are only temporarily broken.
Eventually, there will be a turnaround, a moment of change and healing. The moment you will rise again. The question is when, and by what.
HYPERNMESTRA AND I WERE BOTH BROKEN - BUT WE WOMEN, RISE AGAIN encourages the spectator - particularly women - not to only see their brokenness, but also their strength. It expresses the philosophical saying: what does not kill you, only makes you stronger.
HYPERNMESTRA AND I WERE BOTH BROKEN - BUT WE WOMEN, RISE AGAIN weighs about ca. 200 kilos and was hand carved out of Carrara marble after first having made a model in clay.
A process that all together took more than six months, and was a close collaboration between the artist and the stonemasons who carved the piece.
The Carrara marble highlights the historical dimension. But, combined with the modern nickers and the mirrored glass, HYPERNMESTRA AND I WERE BOTH BROKEN - BUT WE WOMEN, RISE AGAIN, becomes a mix of ages.
HYPERNMESTRA AND I WERE BOTH BROKEN - BUT WE WOMEN, RISE AGAIN can be placed as one prefers, on the floor - conceptually congruent with how a person may lie on the ground at the moment of dispair.
Or, the sculpture could be placed on a pedestal with a glass mirror top, reflecting the work. This makes the sculpture appear to float, or as a rock or island stand in the water. Both ways accentuate the woman’s loneliness and solitude.
The multiple use of mirror, symbolises, and activates, the process of self-reflection. The reflecting - like water - mirrored glass is calling the viewer to come closer, and fall into one’s inner well. Like a Siren enticing you into the process of introspection.
