philosophy remembrance commissioned serien kontakt
drafts
THE CORRECTLY SHAPED EMPTINESS OF TWO- AND THREE-
DIMENSIONAL SPACE IS NOT A NEGATION OF VISUAL IMAGERY
BUT ITS COUNTERPART.
IN THE SAME WAY AS SILENCE RELATES TO THE WORD.
AS SOON AS A PERSON IS OPEN TO IT,
THEY CAN FEEL A MYSTERIOUS PRESENCE WITHIN IT.
ROMANO GUARDINI
A grave has two functions. To conceal the body and commemorate the deceased with their name and biographical details. The dual function of a grave is in its "memorial" aspect, with an outward focus and public significance, and its "mystery" aspect, focusing inward, providing protection and warding off the public. The memorial function of a grave serves the continued presence of the deceased within the social awareness of the community. The mystery function serves to provide an intangible security and safekeeping in the lap of the earth. The spatial distribution of these functions shows the memorial function having the greatest possible outward impact, forming part of the limiting function of a grave. Yet the mystery function lies beyond this interface and thus, also beyond reach.