JAN WOLD
Old Man 2017 i a work was conceptualised as a vertical section describing a fictional model of the field of pure potentiality, imagined in levels, much like a cross section diagram of the oceanic zones or human skin. Water tanks or vitrines are objects that exist to display what they hold, so it is natural for the viewer to approach and inspect these intimately, an important aspect of the work since only at close proximity it is possible to notice the nuances of the piece: the moisture gathering under the tank’s glass lid, occasionally falling on the otherwise still water surface, the thick band of clear brine resting on the faint rust dust below, stronger around the steel mesh as it decays releasing fragments that move gently downward. As the salt density increases towards the base of the model, the particles settle in layers according to their weight, forming sheets of iron oxide that mimic the net above. The heavier pieces arrive at the bottom, forming a blanket over the sea salt bed. The title was lifted from the account of Gautama Siddhartha’s life. An old man was the first of four sights that led him to realise the fleeting nature of existence, setting him on his path to become the Buddha.