Page 44 - Studio International - November 1972

Work and behaviour —
life and death —

everyday situations

Mainly, this show creates an atmosphere, a
mood, which has to be experienced.
Photography can convey this to a certain extent
only, as can writing. It is important that this
show is in Venice, for the mood and the given
conditions — land and water, buildings and
nature — are an integral part. But it could also be
anywhere. It is a question of ambivalence.
There should not be any explanation or
description, but maybe some comments, some
aspects.
While travelling in Mexico —many years ago— I
was greatly impressed by the relationship there
between life and death or rather by the
relationship to blood. Blood signifying both life
and death and spilled all over. The various
crucifixes and castigations (all looking very real)
were covered with it. At the ruins of the ancient
Indian civilizations one knew of the rites
performed. Everything there is now silent and
empty: a sacrificial altar still shows the grooves
which led the blood — somewhere. Blood
grooves — see the carriage with the dissecting
table — are a strange thing. Blood runs in it in a
very formalized way. Because blood runs, is it
alive ?
Another impression in this context: the uniform
worn by Franz Ferdinand at his assassination at
Sarajewo, now in a showcase at the Army
Museum in Vienna — with bloodstains on the
light blue dress.
Siegfried and the oak-leaf.
The performances of sacrificial rites and the
erection or nomination of sacred places are one
of the prime occupations of man. Directly
obvious or camouflaged, they help to constitute
life. Some civilizations today have lost their
capacity e.g. for death rites. It is a sign of loss of
capacity for living.

We all know paintings — as of the last century —
where the father dies, surrounded by his family,
in his bedroom. Today public housing does not
give you this chance. There are also problems