December 2022
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-oh (aou)
In collaboration with Alexandros Xenophontos.
For six stacks of ashes, eight piles of dust exhibition at Endrosia, Nicosia, Cyprus.
Liquid latex, ribbon, flowers, plastic wreath structure, scaffolding mesh
65cm x 65cm
65cm x 65cm
Propped to wither during this exhibition, Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-oh (aou) is inspired by a little-known story of an unnamed German noblewoman who visited the area in the Middle Ages to see the remains of Count John I de Montfort (1228-1249) that were once housed in the Augustinian monastery of St Mary (now the Omeriye mosque).
“A certain noble lady of Germany, a kinswoman of John de Montfort sailed to Cyprus, and came to Nicosia to see the tomb of her friend, the blessed John ... They opened the tomb for her. She lay down on the body putting her mouth to his shoulder as though she would kiss it long and fervently, but secretly she fixed her teeth in the flesh of the corpse and bit it tearing away a piece which she hid in her bosom, desiring to carry it to her own country as a relic.” Felix Faber, Evagatorium 1580.
George Jefferey, “A description of the Historic Monuments of Cyprus: Studies in the archaeology and architecture of the island” (1918)
“A certain noble lady of Germany, a kinswoman of John de Montfort sailed to Cyprus, and came to Nicosia to see the tomb of her friend, the blessed John ... They opened the tomb for her. She lay down on the body putting her mouth to his shoulder as though she would kiss it long and fervently, but secretly she fixed her teeth in the flesh of the corpse and bit it tearing away a piece which she hid in her bosom, desiring to carry it to her own country as a relic.” Felix Faber, Evagatorium 1580.
George Jefferey, “A description of the Historic Monuments of Cyprus: Studies in the archaeology and architecture of the island” (1918)
