Kuba Falk - Tatt Tvam Hmn

Tatt Tvam Hmn

2022
sculpture: wood, acrylic paint
dimensions: 140 cm x 20 cm x 2,5 cm
Art House Kadenówka, Rabka-Zdrój, Poland

Sculpture to contemplate the elements and aspects of reality that constitute the human experience. Tattvas are derived from Hindu philosophy, where each element is symbolized by its assigned color and shape. While making this sculpture, I was reading Thus Said Zaratustra, where I was intrigued by Nietzsche’s allusion to Aristotle’s Rhetoric, in which the “four-squared” man (tetragônom) he invoked appears:

“More honestly and purely does the healthy body talk, being complete and four-square: and it talks of the sense of the earth.”

The Polish translation of the book used the term “rectangular” man, which seemed to me to be a complement that fit in with my sculpture. The base of the sculpture, its lower part, is just such a “four-square in body and soul” human, who adores the tattvas in a gesture of exultation. The sculpture is completed by an installation in the villa’s garden, made of found stones in the proper shape.

Tattva is a Sanskrit term meaning "principle" or "reality." It is derived from the roots, tatt, meaning "that," "quality" or "godhead"; and tvam, meaning "thou" or "individual."

The five basic tattvas are earth - represented by square and yellow colour, air - symbolised by round shape and blue colour, fire - symbolised by triangle shape and red colour, water - symbolised by crescent moon shape and silver colour and ether or akasha - symbolised by egg shape and black colour. They also have corresponding chakras: earth is associated with muladhara, water is associated with svadisthana, fire is associated with manipura , air with anahata and sky with visuddha.

The five tattvas are present everywhere and having them balanced in the body is essential to one's health.

During my stay in Kadenowka I was reading classical work by Friedrich Nietzsche Thus Spoke Zarathustra. That thought-provoking piece of literature was a right stimuli while I was working on my sculpture. Fragments of reconnecting with nature and this way regaining life forces and power reflected by inner intuitions and practices. I was struck and intrigued with his expression of rectangular man he would often use in his work. That inspired me to add the rectangular man to my totem.

Tatt Tvam Stones
installation, 2022
Stones arranged in the roots of an overturned tree in the villa's garden

Long walks were an integral part of my residency in Artist House Kadenowka. I repeatedly visited the Raba River looking for suitable stones there, in shapes corresponding to those of specific tattvas. However, I finally found the last missing stone - a square one - corresponding to the tattva element of the earth, while hiking to the top of Turbacz on a full moon.

Stacking one on top of the other, I arranged the stones in the roots of an overturned tree located in the villa's garden.

photo credit: Paulina Olowska