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Treetable (2000)

A single Aluminum cast, paint, Pakistani wedding goblet (cast aluminum)

Collection Singer Museum Laren

For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
Jeremiah 17:8

 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
Isaiah 11:1, 10

Exposition because of the 75th anniversary of the Von Gimborn Arboretum in Doorn.

“Famke van Wijk is intuitively influenced by writings of church fathers, scholars, philosophers, esoteric writers, and perhaps above all by the Bible. However, this is not a literal or illustrative manner reflected in her work, but she always visualizes a highly personal metaphorical world. Her Christian faith is the driving force and she refers in her images to a transcendental and spiritual world. Famke van Wijk seems to tell us that the separation between the material and immaterial or the earthly and the heavenly, is relative. This metaphysical character is also present in her statue for the Arboretum. The completely of aluminum casted sculpture represents an old trunk with above it surmounted a table with a wood structure which hovers 30cm above the ground. In the middle of the table, just above the hollow trunk, there is a hole, which is filled with water. The in the earth rooted tree could represent nature and man-made pieces as table standing in the clouds can be seen as an expression of culture. But with Famke van Wijk nothing is what it seems to be on a first impression.The table is made after all of the same tree, and thus simultaneously a part of nature. There seems to be opposing forces: the upward virile power of the tree and the downward (gravity) force from the table. In the hole with the transparent red water, a symbol of the divine soul, these continually warring opposites reconcile (matter – mind, nature-culture, male-female and man-god). The cup with the same transparent ‘blood’ invites the visitor to participate in this cathartic process. The hole can also be taken as a wound, the table as an operation table or Eucharistic altar. The wounded tree that bears the table and elevates (and discards his physical function) might be a representation of the bond and suffering of Christ? The hole can also be viewed as a sense of sacrilege because it has revealed a mystery.”

Hestia Bavelaar