Chandelier for a Donkey, 2012

cave findings rearranged
Ibrahimpasa, Turkey

See video clip to the right.

Mining the layered remains of life in an ancient, abandoned cave-dwelling in Ibrahimpasa, a small Islamic village in Cappadocia, Turkey, I was overwhelmed by the sense of presence and absence: a flood of sensory immediacy, yet so many questions, such a vast distance in time.

Created over a month’s time in the stable area of a cave-dwelling, all materials in Chandelier for a Donkey were found in the caves. Donkeys, the main farm animals for hundreds of years, are now rapidly being replaced by tractors. The hole in the roof was used to drop feed down to the stable area. The other carved opening leads to the adjacent living quarters, occupied till recently. Plastic bottles, beer cans, as well as animal bones, textiles, stones, charred sites reflect the mysteries and curiosities I found.

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