A monument without a home - Knutte Wester
Another child than the western child on a heap of toys by Maria Friberg, inhabits a symbolic corner of the old Art academy-building during the Market art fair. Knutte Wester has created an installation beside and in companion with the giant old sculptures of the house. Moses with his stone tablet with the ten commandments functions as the protector of the girl. A young girl stands in the corner, with her eyes closed and slightly bent back by burdens. She has been cast in bronze, a classical material which will see to that the sculpture will last for eternity. A video documenting the processes behind the work is also there.
Knutte Wester is engaged in social interaction in all of his work, whether it is with homeless people, elderly people or children in an orphanage in Riga, as here. The joint creation of work is part of his process
In Latvia historical monuments are attributed to the occupying power of other countries. Public space has not been the living-room of sculptures talking other languages than power.
In the orphanages of Riga thousands of children are raised. When they grow older and have to leave, there is no network to help them. They want to be part of a family, and society. Knutte Wester has made a cast of all seven-year-old children at an orphanage and assembled different parts of them to one sculpture.
A monument for all the waiting children.
“These children are part of the contemporary history of Latvia. But nobody will commission a monument over them. So we do it ourselves. A monument without a home.†Knutte Wester writes.
I believe that art can change the world, at least little by little.
For instance by giving these children a voice in, and a part of, society.
Artland
http://www.artland.se/2011/02/22/a-monument-without-a-home-knutte-wester-2392622