THE WASTELAND

IN SCROLLS ⟫
 

The Wasteland in Scrolls 

Washi paper, ink, gold leaf, silver leaf
Each scroll 300-450cm x 23cm

 

This piece was realised for an exhibition in Berlin, Germany. It involved the transcription of the epic T.S. Eliot poem 'The Wasteland' and it's Japanese and German translations into scroll form. The post WWI poem is known for capturing the sentiment of its time. It includes many disparate, fragmented images and cultural allusions, possessing the power to evoke deep and profound feelings of despair in reference to the nature of the suffering human condition. It however ends in a state of acquired serenity, with the repetition of the Sanskrit word “shantih,” meaning peace. Despite the poem's age, it is still relevant to contemporary society today, and through the process of rewriting the verses in their entirety, I felt a sense of introspection and catharsis. The process was also inspired by the meditative practice of Japanese Buddhist sutra copying known as shakyo.