Who decides how we heal? Exhibition at Ciders from Mars in Staunton, VA
"Who decides how we heal?"
Exhibition open at Ciders from Mars in Staunton
Featuring Karst #2
by R. Mertens
Karst #2
Wet Felting, Needle Felting, wool, rust, steel wool, speaker wire, audio sampler, interactive electronic instrument, when the viewer touches the felt circuit and the metal pole hanging on the bottom of the piece, a sound is produced. The sound is created by two transducers connected to felt pad. The sounds are solfeggio frequencies.
Solfeggio frequencies are specific sound frequencies that have been around for centuries and are believed to have powerful effects on the human body and mind.
The rust felted designs of the piece originate from my research into ancient Gaelic petroglyphs in Ireland and the name Karst, is a reference to the karst landscape found in the Burren, Ireland. More specifically, this work is influenced by the “holy wells” found throughout Ireland.
Karst is a type of landscape formed by the dissolution of soluble rocks like limestone, resulting in unique features such as caves, sinkholes, and underground rivers.
Warning: The piece is actively rusting, do not interact with if you have not recently received a Tetanus Vaccine.
Warning: Anyone with a pacemaker or implanted electronic medical device, should not interact with the piece.
If interacted with, the body becomes part of an electrical circuit. The voltage is extremely low and presents no danger to the body, however it could trigger a response in any implanted electrical device.
The title of the exhibition Who decides how we heal? is a reference to current political ideologies surrounding healthcare in the United States. Karst #2 asks the viewer to consider what we culturally believe is “healing”, what we are healing from and how these ideas develop in our society.