Artist Rescued 19 Days After Getting Chained To a Marble Block

#1

An artist who chained his leg to a block of marble and attempted to free himself as a metaphor for how the "inescapable burden of history" ensnares artists, had to be cut loose when he realized he was trapped in his own performance.

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Poppe had to endure 438 hours of the performance. He slept, ate, washed and drew while he was chained. He’d worked to chisel himself free from the stone but eventually, he realized "it’s not possible."

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"This block was symbolic of history, the history of art, which I am trying to free myself from. I discovered that this is not possible. It is a burden which I must always carry," he said.

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Prior to chaining himself to the marble slab, Poppe had written: "In the court of the house of Ostend, I will attach myself to a block of Carrara marble. Day and night, 24/7, I will live and work in this space. Eating, sleeping, drawing, working. No phone, no computer. With hammer and chisel, I will try to free myself."

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According to The Telegraph, Poppe had initially thought that breaking up the marble would require 10 days at the most, then realized he had "underestimated the marble."

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Entitled De Profundis, Poppe’s performance was part of a larger exhibition and was live-streamed online.

Most people would consider Poppe’s inability to escape a failure. He said, according to Flemish news, Het Laatste Nieuws daily:

"I don’t see the fact that I was freed as a failure. On the contrary, I was able to communicate with the public, a message of hope and despair has been expressed. The act of getting free in itself was not the main goal."

Watch the video here: