Aug 29, 2007
Sleep Cycle pt.2: Asleep Eternally
Photo credit: omnia
Mt Macedon Cemetery in Victoria, Australia is home to Peter Schipperheyn’s dramatic sculpture “Asleep”. It is one of the most intriguing and beautiful contemporary works of art I’ve come across in recent years. The beautiful contradiction between the young women’s vulnerability and the unsettling surroundings of the cemetery. The way her right hand lovingly grips the edge of the tombstone. It simply takes my breath away every time I look at it. The story goes that the artist was commissioned by a woman to make this sculpture and to place it on top of the grave of her late husband, Laurence. To me the sculpture is the perfect embodiment of one’s deepest emotions after the passing away of a loved one; to be there with them, to desperately hold on and to never let go.
Following this series’ previous entry Late Night Lullabies, this post continuous where we left off and heads into the darkest hours of night. I’ve tried to find the connection between this theme and the romantic and mystical undertone of the sculpture. The grace of her vulnerable sleeping body, the silent cemetery surroundings and the deep sorrow of losing a loved one. They became synonyms for the night’s serene, dreamy and tender ambiance.
May they be together forever. Asleep eternally.
Asleep by Peter Schipperheyn, 1987
- Frode Haltli – Vals
Passing Images (ECM, 2007) - Stars of the Lid – Another Ballad for Heavy Lids
And Their Refinement of the Decline (Kranky, 2007) - Stefano Battaglia – Pietra Lata
Re: Pasolini (ECM, 2007) - Winter Family – Garden
Winter Family (Sub Rosa, 2007) - Pauline Oliveros – Suiren
Deep Listening (New Albion, 1994) - Loren Connors – Suzanne’s Rain
Night Through (Disc 3) (Family Vineyard, 2006) - The Marquis de Tren and Bonny Billy – 2/15
Get On Jolly (Palace, 2000) - Christina Carter – Dream Long
Lace Heart (Many Breaths Press, 2006) - Max Richter – Written On Sky
The Blue Notebooks (FatCat, 2004)
los invito a mi expoel jueves 30!
en la tienda-galeria.Kong, mexico D.F.
los espero.
wonderful list. all of these go really perfectly with the atmosphere and the emotions deep into this piece of art work. it’s as if they’re on a journey together and will be always together. what can be sweeter than this… and this music shouldn’t stop either, should be played on repeat
What ? The photobucket stuff is already removed ? I haven’t seen it !
Thanks Saisai! :-)
@ LunaVorax: Thanks for the notice, seems that Photobucket deleted the image for some reason. Should be fixed now.
Beautiful post. Thanks! I really like the Pauline Oliveros song.
What a lovely sculpture. I’ve never seen it before. Thank you for posting the photos.
I can’t stop staring at the sculpture’s image, it’s so damn beautiful. Ditto what saisai wrote.
[...] To complete this trilogy we’ve now come to the ending of the sleep cycle. In the previous chapter Asleep Eternally there was all the time in world to wrap ourselves in the night’s dark and serene setting, but now it’s time to start a new day. Currently one of my favourite albums of this year (Sam Baker / Pretty World) features a wonderful song about the moments just before waking up. [...]
beautiful post and amazing selection
I’m visiting Victoria in December & am going to make an effort to find this cemetery! I just have to see that sculpture :D Beautiful
Written on Sky has the same notes as On the Nature of Daylight, me thinks.