Marco Cianfanelli

Along the beach, two lonely pieces of driftwood lie at odd angles. From afar, it appears that there are barnacles growing on them. Slowly, words emerging from the wood come into focus. Words such as “Truth”, “Security”, “Amazement” and “Shame”. These logs were placed on Central Beach in Plettenberg Bay for two weeks, the words became rusty as the salt water and sandy wind ate into the laser cut steel words. The driftwood logs were not identical. On the straighter, more architectural-like column, the words and phrases revolved around society. On the other, more organically shaped driftwood, the words refer to the individual. What do these words mean? It is with these words that we shape the structures and systems of the worlds that we inhabit. Cianfanelli, in his piece entitled drift, confronts the viewer with maxims of an alien culture, which also form a cornerstone of Western civilization. Each pillar is distinct, just like each person in society is different. Taking words and phrases from ancient Egyptian wisdom texts, the Five Aggregates of Buddhist philosophy, as well as words from the spectrum of human emotions, Cianfanelli finds the commonalities that unite humanity.

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