Sea of Death 2010 - Ariane Littman

Ariane Littman Sea of Death 2010
www.ariane-littman.com

Performed at the Dead Sea in collaboration with Irit Amar
Video - 9:18min
filmed by Brian p Hendler
edited by Michal Shachnai Yakobi
music & sund mix by Amir Yakobi

The performance: Sea of Death (Yām ha-Māvet) is inspired like previous works from the past decade by the pathology of the Holy Land, a sick patient with a chronic disease of violence. Previously, actions such as cutting, erasing, bandaging and sewing closure maps, repeated in a Sisyphean way conveyed a sense of existential dead lock while deconstructing the hierarchy of cartographic power. Now on the shores of the Dead Sea, I performed a metaphorical death.

Carried out at sunset, the performance took place on the shores of the Northern side of the Dead Sea, not far from Qumran. Known since Biblical times, it is an imposing site where life, death and healing coexist, supplying balms used for Egyptian mummification, it later became a well known health resort during the Herodian period. Unfortunately today, with the frightening apparition of sinkholes as a result of enhanced industrial extraction of its minerals and the serious drop of its water level, the Dead Sea is rapidly dying.

During the performance Irit Amar, currently practicing water therapy in a hospital in Mexico, wrapped up my body with sterile bandages until I was gradually immobilized and eventually disconnected from my environment as my eyes, ears, nose and mouth were covered up as well. Mummified and prisoner of this 'cocoon' I was then carried into the Dead Sea by two Palestinian men working on the premises.
Eventually Irit released the bandages that kept my two hands tied together and parted from me, leaving me to drift away, diving within my thoughts into the Sea of Death. In this state of intense vulnerability, I recall thinking of wars and mothers, pain and wounds, death and useless hopes.

Ariane Littman
October 2010

To see more of my art work: www.ariane-littman.com
http://www.ariane-littman.com/docs/exhibitions/wounded_land_dead_sea.html

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• ariane littman
• dead sea
• holy land
• mother earth wounds
• bandaging
• mummification
• mother
• motherland
• art
• performance
• video
• healing
• bible
• movie
• meditation
• spirituality
• Film

[AloisAgos]

Who says mummification is a dead art?

I hope she enjoyed her trip to the afterlife...even if she really didn't die.

[run706]

creative ! a set of symbols.

[DigitalWeavers]

Amazing vulnerability.

[Chetowagarm1]

wut did you use for the mummification?

[789superpp]

She was blinking So how could she have been dead

[coolcheyenne4lol]

whats this bout anyways

[Xblast25]

Very nice. My friends are about to mummify me in silk.

[eddog6666]

how far out did you float until someone got you?

[2000slogan]

may i ask what is the story about?

[2000slogan]

@docume no