As the creator of “Melting Persistence,” I was directly inspired by Salvador Dali’s “Persistence of Time.” This surreal lampshade sculpture is made entirely of wax and suspended by a heat bulb that slowly melts it over the course of a few hours. The curves and shapes of the sculpture were carefully crafted to fit the viewer’s perception of time and space, creating an otherworldly experience within the gallery.
The nature of the sculpture is to change over time, creating a new work of art right before the viewer’s eyes. As Salvador Dali once said, “Mistakes are almost always of a sacred nature. Never try to correct them. On the contrary: rationalize them, understand them thoroughly. After that, it will be possible for you to sublimate them.” With this in mind, I did not attempt to control the wax’s natural tendency to melt, but instead, directed it to create something new and unexpected.
“Melting Persistence” is also in contrast to the work of Urs Fischer, as his sculptures focus on the act of watching and waiting for an end. In contrast, “Melting Persistence” is about watching the creation of a new and unknown entity. After three hours, the sculpture completely melted and fell to the plinth below, leaving behind only a new form and a memory of the experience for the viewer.
