Ritual Sacrifice, Demonic White Series by Paul Mehdi Rizvi. Image Courtesy ArtChowk Gallery
The body’s gesture caught in action: a collection of things, statues, paintings showing the moving and working, as something is naked or opened to show the workings; these include: the inside of a pencil, a screw and a sharp end where a holding stick would be positioned, like a scalpel; a short video sequence of a naked man shrugging, a diagram of the muscles involved next to him; a beehive cut open with a glass panel covering the wound, the bees can come and go through a tunnel to the ceiling.
A book is to be made: a collection of things facilitating the intent of hands-on work; these include: a hair clip that looks like it won’t open by itself; rolled up sleeves; a machine blowing a light breeze with some warmth.
The other (the loved object) who does not speak: a collection of things etc that could but won’t express themselves, including: a tiny tin bell without a clapper; a sickly animal that pretends to be healthy; exhibits for this room are very hard to find as even a lack of expression is saying something; whence this is the smallest room.
The tribute the lover must pay to the world in order to be reconciled with it: a collection of symbols of worship to the world as a whole, the lover thanks and humbles himself. This room includes: a candle holder with candle, to be clipped to a branch or to other worldly representatives and which are thusly illuminated on winter nights; a blanket for wrapping the ground against the cold; an ice cube for appreciating the cold too.
Even the mildest bears: a collection of objects that have a clash, that contradict themselves. These include: a gold-coloured plastic medallion depicting St George slaying the dragon; a short video of a lover who is very grumpy; a statue of fire that merely gets luke-warm.
~Neele Dellschaft
Neele Dellschaft is a writer, maker and scientist currently living in the UK. Her work has appeared in UK and US magazines including 111O, the Carolina Quarterly, Lighthouse Journal and the International Poetry Review. Her most recent chapbook, ‘Call It an Immersion’, has just come out with Dancing Girl Press.
