"Spirit" is the first piece in which I realized the shape of a winged being in stone (see also "Winged Being I + II" and "The Winged Being"), here a dark, rich limestone that is polished in order to enhance its surface structure. The stone is loose in consistency and does not hold the sharpness of the shape, so that broken edges reveal the presence of the material.
"Spirit" is born out of the consideration of a placement in a Chapel. Where the "Winged Beings" manifest a desire and containment locked in a form on the ground - spirit exposes itself more vulnerable - upside down - at the height of the upper body - parallel to where our heart and lungs are. "Spirit" captures the breath of a moment in the presence of rock, of soil, transformed into a gesture of delight.
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Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Fine Art Collection, Government of Canada
Cape Breton Limestone, Steel Stand
140cm x 112cm x 60cm
June 2007 – Copyright Vanessa Paschakarnis
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