Suara AlaM's
Whispers of God
Sound Artist
Yin and Yang
Yin and Yang
“The essence of Yin and Yang
centers on the tension between two halves of a whole
that are both divided and connected”
- Angellia Moore -
Two forces exist within the same. Both of them are unbreakable absolutes and diametric opposites. What happens when they colllide?
Possible outcomes:
1) One or both of these forces proves less absolute than advertised:
- Yin is stronger and defeats Yang (or vice-versa).
- Yin and Yang both destroy each other simultaneously, an outcome that's both a win and a loss for both sides.
2) Both forces are completely evenly matched, so they clash forever or until some outside force intervenes.
3) Both of the forces are absolute, so the logical contradiction of their fight destroys the universe.
It is it is generally assumed that yin and yang are equivalent to each other; evenly strong and evenly weak. They are two opposite characteristics that can actually exist in harmony and complement each other. They represent the interconnectedness of the world and one cannot exist without the other. It is believed that the ideal situation is when there is an equal balance between the two, as that is when harmony is achieved.
I feel this is something unachievable. In my opinion it is just another concept made by us to try and put logic into something that is too great to understand, too chaotic and beautiful at the same time. Why is it that we always want to try to bring structure in everything, even when we cannot hold it?
Life is so unpredictable and also not so black and white. It is always flowing, adjusting, exploring... When we think we can grasp its meaning, it is already changing again.
We have become so focussed on perfection, that we are always busy trying to change who we are to become even better version of ourselves. Within this trying to control and change everything, even things that are already great need to become even better, and that is where we forget to live and enjoy it!
A flower does not worry about being not red enough and then tries to change its color; it just proudly is what it is! Standing there in its beauty and fully living its purpose! That is why I do love the concept of Wabi Sabi: embracing the beauty of imperfection; accepting the natural cycle of growth and decay. Nothing lasts forever and nothing is perfect.
With Collision of Yin and Yang (Inspired by the work L'Etoile (Star; plaster version) from Jean Arp), I hope to bring some change in our thoughts that the world can be made predictable and structured. We put so much pressure on ourselves, but also give ourselves wrong believe of powers that we can control the unpredictable. That when things go wrong, we ourselves are only to blame. That we can become everything we want if we only work hard enough. That life is malleable... but life happens when you make other plans!
I believe we can achieve so much more happiness and joy when we let go of the thought that we are not good enough yet and need to keep exhaustingly working on ourselves all the time; chasing an illusive idea that we can achieve some enlightened state of spiritual and physical weightlessness once we are done. Because we are never done, we always need/want more, it will never be good enough. We are not Gods here on earth and sorrow and burden will keep existing, no matter what. Wouldn't it just give such a relieve when we start embracing the fact that things happen with our without our intervention and cannot be stopped? That it is all part of life and we are allowed to sit back sometimes and enjoy the view? Let's sometimes be more like the flower enjoying the sunshine in a field of flowers together with others.
So, we do not need perfect harmony. We do not need perfect balance. No, a perfect life does not exist. In fact: let us change the whole concept of Yin and Yang where they never face each other and always chase each others tail! Let them meet face to face and just look how well they stay alive and not break down. They are more alike then you would pressume, there is no need to fight, they touch lovingly with their noses, dance together and they are imperfectly balanced, no illusion of weightlessness but with a strong basis for grounding and carried by the universe who has our back. Trust the flow of life and let you be brought to places you did not know existed without obstruction!
Keywords: Equality, Harmony, (im)Balance, (im)Perfection
Dimensions:
30cm x 7cm x 38,5cm
Technique and used material
Plaster pouring into a block; sculpting and sanding into form