An installation in the cloister
A grave stone in white Carrara marble (30x50x3 cm) is inscribed with the Latin words Lumbricus Terrestris. The conceptual piece pays homage to an underappreciated underground object – the common earth worm. The hard work of the worms is a precondition for life. Earth worms take care of the soil that feeds us. This fact reminds me of the macabre lyrics my late mother used to quote:
The Finnish song writer Alfred J. Tanner’s grim verse ends: ”[..] the last door to open is the worm’s mouth.” (original in Finnish: ” [..] madon suu on viimeinen ovi.”) Spot on and good to keep in mind.
Author:
Tuula Närhinen (Visual artist, DFA) UNIARTS, Helsinki
Just before the opening party in the beginning of May, the immediate surroundings of the gravesite were cleared of vegetation, and a bouquet of artificial flowers (made of silk and plastic) was placed on the stone.
During the following summer months, real plants regained control of the gravesite, and the stone was gradually overgrown with greenery. End August, nature had already taken over culture; the monument and the bouquet were both entirely covered by weeds that hid the funeral stone from view. In the end, there is no escape from going under.
