manneke












preparing for a group exhibition in May, at last I got round to making my little clay guy, he was molded in one friend's studio, baked in yet another one's oven, finally he arrived in his box in my studio yesterday morning! one has to practice patience when dealing with clay!
I decided not to use the arms I'd made but instead turned to bones, inspired by GhostBird. He turned out quite different from what I had first imagined, much more make-do and raw


Manneke
little Man
or not so little when sitting in the old doll house
with a story to tell...

'He tells her as they lay on the pillow cuddled up together, as they gaze up at the stars, he tells her that what she sees is not there and even if they cannot quite grasp what that means, they get it.
He tells her life is not hard, in fact it is unbearably light and confesses that this fact too is something he has learnt from someone else. She nods as if to reassure him that that is okay.
None of us are truly original, we are all connected and go way back to where it all began, have travelled galaxies to get to where we are today she says, no wonder we forget where and when we collected our nuggets of knowledge stored away like acorns in the folds of our minds. They both ponder on this and simultaneously start batting their eyelids as tears well up, suddenly overcome by emotions that have no name. He wants to as does she, they both try to say out loud what it is that moves through them. Ha, she begins, hahaha, he adds and then they start to giggle and as so often happens the giggles become louder and louder and before they know what is happening, they are rolling all over the place and roaring, heaving even with laughter, and now tears are rolling down their cheeks and he nor she know quite what to make of them, sadness joy all of it. Panting and sniffling and chuckling they calm down once again, crawl back onto the pillow and as they gaze up at the moon and the stars, they drift off and fall asleep, into a world of dreams where they ride the nightskies like the heroes they like to imagine they are.' 

© saskia van herwaarden 2023








clay wool wire cloth bone button bead thread





I think I'm going to have to make a clay girl as well



***
Friday we will say goodbye to Rachel @koudkunstje
a fellow traveller 
may she rest in peace
***
 

Comments

Marti said…
He is such an intriguing presence and yes, make a clay girl. If possible, print the story that he told for the exhibition; it wraps around my heart with such poignancy, almost as if it is a eulogy for your fellow traveler Rachel... I am so sorry for the loss of your friend.
Saskia said…
yes that was my intention Marti, make a small book even
very very sad, she was 50
jude said…
too young.

I thought of puppets when I saw the clay man
Saskia said…
ha, puppets, now I am wondering who's the puppeteer: me or him?
Liz A said…
your creativity knows no bounds ... I am enthralled by both the making of your Manneke and the writing of his/their story ...

and I clicked the link, looking at the faces and thinking "too young" ... only 50 ... too young to leave ... too young to lose
Saskia said…
thanks Liz
yes I know way too young, towards the end she said the most amazing thing: 'I am going to die happy'
Nancy said…
Saskia~ have to come back to focus properly, but his feet are Amazing!
Nancy said…
Oh my Saskia...everything here is so precious...Precious in the true meaning of the word. This process, materials, amazing storytelling all honor your friend in a most beautiful way. I fell into your story and my heart is the richer for it.
Manneke's face is quietly powerful, his clothing rustic and warm...and his feet - I really love his feet.
I agree, he needs this girl to sit with him...or perhaps to lay with him on a big round pillow made of stars.

May you grieve your friend well and may her memory be a blessing.
"life is not hard" ~ something to consider...

Saskia ~ Sometimes while sitting on my bed, I look at my Saskia Cloth - cloth and weaving together - and I reflect on how long we've been friends and how many varied artistic adventures you've taken since those days of earthen brown cloths and weavings. Isn't life so wonderful?
xoxo
Saskia said…
Life is prettywonderful Nancy, for sure, and I love knowing that cloth is with you, close to you:-)
Manneke is impatiently waiting for his Claybride, a name friend A. invented for her, he already has many conversations with her, another wonderful thing: imagination
bye for now long-time friend......keep an eye on this blog, soon more excitement to be had.....

tungsten

tungsten

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