Totanka, God of cities and concrete. by Virginie Gribouilli

Title:	Totanka, God of cities and concrete.
Date Created:	10/2023
Copyright:	© © Virginie Gribouilli
Genre:	Sci Fi
Mediums:	Clay, Mixed Media, Sculpture
Views:	229
Posted:	11/7/2023

Projects: Looking up at the stars, I wondered about our place in the universe, the ephemeral and fleeting nature of our passage on Earth, of us living beings, humans, animals and plants. Our existence is limited to a time, a period, an era. What will remain of it... a trace, a vestige, a fossil. Memory also disappears, and from this vacuum of information, new mythologies are born to tell future civilizations about a past tinged with facts, but above all with legends. Inspired by science fiction, with the dystopian futures of Dan Simmons and Isaac Asimov, video games, with Shigeru Miyamoto' s fantastic universe blending nostalgia, adventure and poetry, and the worlds of Albator and Ulysse 31 that lulled my childhood, I' m part of a surrealist fantasy movement. I create an original aesthetic describing a new temporal dimension. I wanted to create my own mythology based on two axes of representation: The legacy of human civilizations in the future and the temporality of living beings on Earth. Figurative sculpture was the best way to bring this myth to life. It was my encounter with cold porcelain that allowed me to delve deeper into its lightness and finesse. I combine it with wire, resin and cardboard, and enjoy creating my own techniques and mixtures. I work with colors such as rust, verdigris and oxidized metal, reminiscent of the past, but also with black and metallic to add a precious touch to my work.

Location: France

Cold porcelain sculpture and mixed medias. 40 cm x 38 cm x 18 cm. Totanka, God of cities and concrete. It was during an archaeological dig that we came across the remains of an ancient civilization. Legend has it that once upon a time, there were large, densely populated areas. Totanka was their all-powerful god, promising to protect them. By striking the ground with his hooves, he could raise towers to the sky. At first, these ramparts were comforting, attracting humans and protecting them by isolating them from hostile nature. Ever more eager for security, man continued to serve Totanka, who poured out her concrete, scorching the ground and all forms of life in her path. In this way, he created great walls that gradually enclosed them forever. Today, we can still find remnants of this ancient civilization, relics proving the existence of this ancient and fearsome God.