Working with Impermanence
Published January 30th, 2009
I was reading about Aiko Miyanaga’s sculptures and thought I would share this linked article, Who says an art work must exist?. What struck me is how she engages directly with impermanence in the design of her work. A growing number of artists address the impermanent nature of life in their work. Andy Goldsworthy comes to mind. (If you have not seen his Rivers and Tides, I highly recommend it.) I am sure the artists in our sangha would be aware of many more artists doing this kind of thing than I am. In the case of Miyanaga, rather than using materials that humans perceive as stable and lasting, she works with naphthalene. The article describes this more in depth.
Cast in naphthalene (the stuff moth balls are made of), Miyanaga’s ephemeral pieces begin to disintegrate the moment she puts them on display. Naphthalene is not designed to be a stable material; it’s designed to slowly sublime (turn from solid to gas) at room temperature and create vapors that keep textile-eating moths at bay.
I find this kind of work interesting in that it speaks to our perception and need of permanence. So I thought I would post it on a Friday just for fun. Have a great weekend!

