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proposal sketches for Nilai Memorial Park
Kuala Lumpur opening page | sound barrier meander | island ship | cremation stone field or mound | land art | sculpture
cremation stone field
It is said that the ashes of a deceased adults weigh about as much as their weight at birth. The weight and volume of cremated remains can be visualized in various ways, as the disposition of the ashes can also be achieved in numerous ways.
In this proposal I aim to make an evolving land art piece which visualizes the representation of rationalized aspects of the human body in relation to humanity as a whole. In death our bodies are static as opposed to the living who are in constant motion - dispersed over the globe and later beyond our earthly limitations. Death stops the body from being the vehicle of the soul. The inactive bodies becomes static and can be represented by a field of rocks, each carrying/containing the ashes of a deceased.
In 2000 I devised a way to put a person's ashes to rest inside a rock. The disposition of ashes can take place in many ways. After my father in law died, I proposed to take his favorite stone from their summer plot, drill a hole in it with a core bit or hole saw. This space is to be large enough to hold the cremated remains with the drilled out core to be glued back in. The volume of the ashes will be represented by the amount of the core protruding from the drilled space. Any text can be engraved into the stone or the protruding core. I find that this method of laying someone to rest is modest and in harmony with nature.
The placement of the stones can be predetermined in order for them to
form a simple geometric pattern.
It would be possible to lay out a grid
of squares on an even and undifferentiated surface, the measurements of
the squares to be decided upon. So the result would be a field with
regularly placed stones. Depending on the volume of the stone which
has been selected to contain the cremated remains of the deceased, one or
more squares can be purchased. The field of stones could grow from the center
outwards.
There are other ways in which to position the stones. When this idea is accepted I would like to have the totality of the stones to form a unity - contrary to a row of houses along a street - so that together they have an expression:
the spiral mound
One possible solution is to utilize the round mound in the south-east area of the park and spiral out from the summit of the hill. The spiral itself can be made of white material - for instance white gravel. The cremation stones would be placed on this path at equal distances.
The construction of the spiral can be achieved by placing a cylinder-tool on the top of the hill - in the center. The diameter of this cylinder shall be equal to the width of the space between the spiraling path divided by π (pi). Then a string is to be attached to the side of the cylinder, facing the starting point at the bottom of the hill: and, with the string pulled taught, we walk around the hill - marking the spiral - until the cylinder is reached and the full length of the string shall be wound around the cylinder.
island ship
And there is also the option to use the ship-island and place the stones in a predetermined array, between as well as in relation to the rubber trees. In this way the island/ship will be even more than symbolic.
Kuala Lumpur opening page | sound barrier meander | island ship | cremation stone field or mound | land art | sculpture
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works©author: Lucien den Arend
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