- in northern peru, the mesa is the centre of all healing ceremonies. it consists of power objects that have been found, collected or acquired by healers and curanderos under special circumstances. the items have their own significance. their utilisation and their sensual perception often occurred under the influence of mind-moving, 'hallucinogenic' herbs, mostly under the influence of the san pedro cactus (trichocereus pachanoi) and the angel's trumpet, floripondium (brugmansia arborea). often the mesa reflects an imago mundi, a world view, a cosmology.
- don eduardo's mesa was an example for my own mesa, but without any of his symbolism. at the beginning of this project, i thought of employing the term cosmology.
- don eduardo's mesa contains objects similar to mine: a shell found in an archaeological ruin. don eduardo's interpretation is linked with love magic, the opening represents the vulva and the spiral form, called remolino or whirl, vortex, is one of the first images seen by people who consume san pedro. in addition, there are some crystal objects:
- 'snake eye crystal' (64), a symbol of clear vision, resulting from a regenerative process
- 'noah's ark crystal' (72), representing the new beginning of human and animal life after the emergence from the primordial waters
- 'white ray crystals' (73), three quartz crystals, used as fire symbols. they represent defence. they were found near the old sun temple near moche. don eduardo considers these items to symbolise speed and luck in conjunction with magical flight.
- these interpretations are connected with the culture of the inhabitants of the andes region. his interpretations do not hold true for my mesa! my mesa objects are free of symbolism. possible are your own, allow latitude for your own interpretation.
- 'mesa', 2009
mixed media
Collection Rijksmuseum Kröller-Müller, Otterlo.
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- from back to forth:
cooking pot
beech branch
foodbowl
frame drum
- resinous substance, frankincense
nest of a blackbird
nest
waterjug
stone
bundle of rope
rock crystal
- dragon's blood
ash stick
bone
skull cup
bundle of twigs
tree stump
mala, rudraksha
- book
torn root section
charred wood
splitting wedge
limestone
brimstone
hoe
- sickle
measuring rod, broken off
stone-age knives
ayahuasca
peyotl
henbane
bar of gold
corn cob
mortar with pestle
mushroom with electrical artefact
- basalt rock
primatic glass
artefact
green serpentine
sankha, conch shell
padlock, corroded
drill core
cymbal
- Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo (2009)
- mesa : katalog mit dokumentation und einigen anmerkungen und zusätzlichen informationen = catalogue with documentation, some annotations and additional information 1996-2007 / concept and text herman de vries; editing Daniël van de Poel (Stichting Kröller-Müller Museum : Otterlo 2009).
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- TEXT CREDITS
herman de vries, 'appendix', in mesa : catalogue with documentation, some annotations and additional information (Otterlo 2009).
- IMAGE CREDITS
Photographer unknown
© herman de vries
