Two Instances of Halted Duration explores themes of preservation, stasis, and transformation. The work consists of two sculptural clocks, each incorporating visual and biological elements that connect to the story of Kira and Rama, two fetal calves whose cells were isolated and frozen in liquid nitrogen by Svenja Kratz during a 2010 residency at Symbiotica at the University of Western Australia. The pendulums of the clocks are etched with images of the calves' cells, symbolising the halted passage of time and the frozen state of the calves’ cells.
Surrounding the clocks are salted branches adorned with leaves made from the tanned hides of Kira and Rama, evoking the preservation process that keeps them suspended in time. Each branch also includes butterfly chrysalises, which hatch during the exhibition, serving as living symbols of emergence and transformation. This juxtaposition of static and dynamic elements underscores the potential for renewal that lies dormant within preserved states.
The installation invites viewers to reflect on the paradox of time—how it can be simultaneously halted and fluid—and the ongoing cycle of life and rebirth, even in moments of apparent stillness. Two Instances of Halted Duration meditates on the delicate balance between life, death, and the latent possibilities that emerge from periods of suspension.
The work forms part of the Immortalisation of Kira and Rama and was exhibited at Metra Arts, Brisbane in 2010 as part of the exhibition The Elasticity of the Almost.
Two Instances of Halted Duration
PROJECT DETAILS:
Svenja Kratz, Two Instances of Halted Duration, 2010. Mixed Media: Live Butterfly Chrysalises, Tanned Fetal Calf Hide, Salt, Repurposed Clocks.