Γέφυρες | Bridges

Entry for snow art festival in the mountains of Austria
 
The land art sculpture juxtaposes two parallel and radically different realities of the globalization: digital networking, and the physical displacement of refugees. The extreme contrast between these two flows, one as a symbol of the abundance of the -supposingly- “civilized west” and the other of the poverty of the -supposingly- “uncivilized east”, is the starting point for a visualized juxtaposition of physical reality with digital reality, on a scale that can be perceived “here and now”.
A suitable topography is chosen, as shown in the sketches, in order to have two banks.
At the bottom, a natural "bridge" between the two banks is created, a sculptural formation of a sea, made of ​​snow. The plan defines the route of a boat, which is also sculpted by snow. Above, red “lines” made of painted rope, connect the two “banks”, incidentally placed: they are the invisible web links, the invisible bridges, that sculpturally compose a red cloud of axes. The “sea” and the “boat” are made of snow, the material that covers the land around, as they are real, tangible things that belong to the physical world. Instead, the web is made of an artificial material and is painted red, so as to differentiate from its surroundings- it is anthropogenic and invisible, thus it is intended to be exaggerated.
Two parallel realities, radically different, that ostensibly never meet (?).
The "sea" is accessible to guests- in fact they are invited to walk on it. The scale allows it to serve as a bridge between the two banks. The steps on the snow will remain, as a leftover of people who crossed there, but are not present anymore. In contrast, the red lines connect visually, without allowing physical movement, as in reality.
Constructions that have the form of large drops are hung by the red ropes, above the sea and especially the boat. They are made of strong tulle and they contain pieces of snow and heating lamps, causing the snow to melt and fall in real water drops on the sculpture. The effect they cause depends on the natural conditions: the water that falls will either freeze and create small volumes of snow or ice, resembling the outlines of people on the boat and in the water, or melt the snow slowly, until it destroys the boat and creates “holes in the water”. This vertical flow of light and drops (both the large drops- thanks to their direction, and the real flow of water of the melting snow), as well as the shadow of the lines falling on the sea with daylight, form an intermittent and uncertain relation between the two horizontal realities.
 The lights and the attention of the favored ones sometimes fall on the harsh reality of others, it is mentioned at the news, and gets some shares on FB, but in fact, the civilized life of the mass, in its majority, continues indefinitely. However, the indifferent attitude of "normal" western society affects the fate of these people, even with their inaction. The ​​uncertainty and ephemerality of the snow as a material, is here linked to the ephemeral life and uncertainty of the refugee's journey to new places: it can lead to death-melting or a new life-freeze, creating snow volumes.
 The change that will be made to the sculpture from the first until the last day is sought, as it is both physically and conceptually part of the landscape and of this world, that is constantly changing, being born and dying, as simply, naturally and predictably, as we have been used to reading about death of people and children in a boat while scrolling our FB front page, without wandering whether our indifference is part of what happens in the world.
We do not need affordable plane tickets, bought months earlier so to be cheaper, nor reading long blogs of travelers that love adventure trips in the security of our living room. The distant, exotic place has come physically to us. The global village is here, it's in our cellphone, but it's also in our neighborhood, under the neighbor's hijab. We can always escape by touching a button on the screen…
…or simply by knocking next door.
 
* Following the concept of duality in realities, the name of the sculpture is written in two different languages, English, the most international and spoken one, and Greek, a rarely and by not so many, spoken language, of a country that is closely related with the refugees question lately.
The site
The idea is a sculpture that connects two “banks”, two places separated by a gap- as seen in the section. Therefore, a simple, degraded topography will be chosen, for example a stream path would be ideal.
However, there is also the possibility of creating the appropriate topographical condition by digging, probably not in the valley, but somewhere where the height of the snow permits it.
 
Dimensions
The dimensions will be decided on site, depending on the chosen spot, but will not exceed 15 meters in length.

 Materials
The “sea” and the “boat” will be sculpted on site, with the snow.
The lines / web links are made of thick ropes (about 4mm diameter) painted red in acrylic color. In case of very big length, wire rope will be considered. They are attached to wooden stakes, nailed to the ground. The total length, as well as the diameter of the cord, will depend on the location that will be chosen, and the lengths to cover. There is also the idea of ​​making the lines by red light tubes or optical fibers, so they can be turned on, but it would probably raise the cost a lot - it is under investigation though, as well as a sponsor possibility.
Durable tulle, preferably red (about 20m2. ,but will depend on the final scale) to place the snow inside.
Hatching lamps (~€ 7,50 each).
Connection cables for the lamps.
 
Technical requirements
Power will be needed for the lamps, and in case lighting tubs or optical fibers. As it may not be constructed near a power source, a generator will be needed.
 
Illumination
At night there is a simple, and very low cold backlight (at the least accessible side).
The lamps are small lights above the “sea”, like a starry sky, giving an impression of a night trip. In case of use of light tubes or optical fibers, they will be programmed to turn on and off in a random rhythm.