Elysium 2008

Elysium combines elements from three prior works by Whiten: Descendants of Parsifal, 1986, a series of eight wrapped human skulls; Magisterium Pardesh, 1993, comprising seven walking sticks and three covered magic boxes; and Temno IV, 1995, constructed from carpets stacked at prayer height. Commissioned by the Art Gallery of Ontario for the exhibition Transformation AGO, 2008, Elysium was intended to generate an intersection between work by contemporary, modern European, African, and other diverse cultures on view at the gallery. As the artist comments: “it’s a combination of elements that create a relationship of energies from past to present, from historic to modern understandings, from the mythic to contemporary notions of life.”  It is the only commission Whiten has undertaken.

The Descendants of Parsifal series is named after Parsifal (also Perceval), a Knight of the Round Table in Arthurian legend and an innocent seeker of truth in quest of the Holy Grail. The Grail, itself, is conceived of as a cup, a dish, or a stone with the power to bestow eternal youth and sustenance, held in the custody of the wounded Fisher King. Parsifal heals the Fisher King by asking the question, “Whom does the Grail serve?” A symbol of grace and mystical union with God, the Grail was also believed to be the cup used by Christ at the Last Supper.

In Elysium, seven human skulls from this earlier series are covered with mixtures of talc, glue, chewing gum, glass, and graphite. Whiten applies layers of these materials to the skulls, much like skin, and introduces glass eyes.  The skulls, symbolizing our ancestral link to the Arthurian hero Parsifal, are wall-mounted at eye level between six tall, hand-whittled wooden staffs leaning against the wall.

The body of each staff is carved out of a lilac sapling from a grove near the artist’s studio. The spring blossoms symbolize renewal, while the heartwood holds the hue of its flower. Evolving from sapling to supportive aid, each staff is crowned by a handle fashioned from an umbrella or walking cane. For the artist, “trees are the sentinels which guard the portals of another world; protecting our planet and providing the basic resources necessary for sustenance and future development,… trees are the immutable signs of our connection to something far beyond ourselves; guardians, protectors, resources for all our needs.”

The altar placed in front of the wall is comprised of stacked carpets, extended on either side by a wooden table. Each table supports an upright curved mirror. An enamel cooking pot is recessed into each table as a receptacle for the offering. The bottom of one pot is engraved inside with a single word, “vapour”; lift the lid of the second pot and the word “desire” is revealed.

In Greek mythology, Homer describes the Elysian Fields as a paradise for heroes bestowed with immortality by the Gods. As such, Elysium is considered the blessed dwelling place for life after death. This work represents the spiritual journey undertaken in the quest for truth, which begins with seeing every moment of life against the horizon of death.