Essential Forest
2011
96 cm x 30 cm diameter
Poemdrum. Laser cut mild steel, anodized aluminium, two motor turntable assembly with light
Text by Liliane Lijn
Each Poemdrum consists of three nested cylinders rotating in opposite directions and at different speeds. The words of a chosen poem have been laser cut around the circumference of each cylinder, so that, in order to read the text, the viewer has to change focus, gleaning the inner words through the letter openings of the outer words. This is possible because they are lit from their centre. Seen in a dark space with eyes partially closed, the text on the Poemdrums appears to dissolve into strange luminous hieroglyphs.
Much of Lijn’s recent work is concerned with the pervasive fragmentation of memory and meaning in our culture and the associated need to continually shift focus and attention. Lijn was torn from an early age between writing and making, the conceptual and the visual. She wanted to work in both areas, even if or possibly because they were considered different disciplines. Lijn kept these areas of her work somewhat separate, developing sculptural works with light and more conceptual works with text. Recently, the two areas have been merging. Lijn realised with great excitement that she could create text-based works that dissolved into light.