Solitaire
A small, neglected and desiccated planet as in a post-apocalyptic scene from “The Little Prince.” A parched earth from which stubbornly
grows a spiky sapling of raw silver. The object aims to evoke what we ourselves fear: how our planet, without water, could end – life will
disappear. But life here holds on in the form of a bare tree.
When I obtained this geode rock with a crack in the middle, I immediately thought of creating an object symbolizing destruction and fierce
life pushing its way to the surface. The tree can be compared to a lone person left by himself in the world. A fragment of parched land from
which bursts a thirst for life. But life will always endure in some form. The object is a symbol of hope, even when it seems all is lost. Hope
always dies last.
The tree is a cast from a dried thorn overgrown with lichen. I left the silver intentionally raw with the ashes remaining from the burnt out mold
to accentuate the sense of ruin.
material: mineral geode, silver Ag 925/1000
weight of the silver tree: 13g
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Hanuš Lamr's metal objects are inspired exclusively by nature. With the enthusiasm of an explorer, he brings into focus the delicate shape
of flowers, twigs and other natural objects which, cast in metal, reveal their finest details. The task of the artist is not to succumb to the
temptation to improve upon a natural design, but to be guided by its structure, and, with a sense of respect for its immutable perfection, to
render a coda. Rather than jewelry in the traditional sense of the word, these objects are a kind of sacrament. He immerses fragile
honeycombs, dry leaves, fruits and twigs or swollen chestnut blossoms in wax, then casts them in silver or bronze. The original model burns
away during casting, so each result is unique, without the possibility of replication. Fragile metal artefacts are created, conjoined in a surreal
fusion, sometimes supplemented with glass shards or stones. Hanuš Lamr transforms leftover fragments of authentic natural materials into
relics embodying the age-old, futile desire to immortalize the ephemeral, to touch the untouchable: intactum tangere.
text: Terezia Zemánková
