AETERNUM

 

Shelter Island, New York

2023

AETERNUM at Shelter Island, New York

Media: LEDs, steel, diffusion material, custom lighting sequence, electrical hardware
Dimensions: 4.2 ft x 4.2 ft x 16ft (1.3 m x 1.3 m x 5 m)

 

AETERNUM, by Grimanesa Amoros, explores the concept of time through the lens of ancient Incan culture. Fascinated by the Incan invention of the lunisolar calendar, which comprised two parallel timekeeping systems to track the celestial movements of the sun and moon, Amoros delves into the eternal dance performed by these cosmic bodies.

AETERNUM, Amoros’s artwork at Shelter Island, NY, is an homage to the passage of time and a meditation on eternity. The term embodies the notion of everlasting existence, perpetual motion, and an eternal flame that never ceases to burn. Central to the artwork is the narrative of the collectors, who see themselves as twin flames whose profound connection is symbolized by an hourglass.

Within the hourglass, the sands of time steadily trickle down, representing the inevitable nature of change. Inspired by the moment the hourglass is reset, she breaks the illusion of conclusive endings and embraces the infinite possibilities.

Through AETERNUM, Grimanesa Amoros explores the interplay between time, change, and eternity—offering a thought-provoking exploration of the human experience within the vast tapestry of time.