Amandine Nabarra
Los Angeles, CA
www.amandinenabarra.com
The Last Breath
2024
Frosted/mirrored acrylic, Polymer Clay image transfer
11 inches x 11 inches x 17.5 inches when closed and 44 inches when extended as a Leporello
Artist Statement
In the span of nine years, my artistic journey unfolded organically, originating from the heartache of losing a cherished stepmother. This emotional core gradually transformed into a concept that manifested itself as an artist book, and a model for an installation—an endeavor aimed at offering a unique, communal experience to diverse audiences.
The question of how to depict death became a pivotal contemplation. Rather than choosing one perspective over the other, I opted to acknowledge both the departing individual and the person left behind. The focal point became the moment of transition between the living and the departed, symbolized by the last breath. A sculpture emerged, portraying particles of air ascending into the universe—an ode to the unknown.
The materials chosen, characterized by transparency and translucency, mirror and reflection, accentuate the delicate dance between presence and absence. They serve as a gentle reminder of our shared brief existence on this cosmic rock.
Four poems were chosen from Japanese death poems by Zen monks and haiku poets on the verge of death, as compiled by Yoel Hoffmann. Photomontages of body parts and image transfers paired with each haiku are from my own photography. I enclosed these transparent images between two acrylic circles to create trapped bubbles, making the body parts seem frozen in motion.
Tanaka Shutei (1810-1858)
Frost on a summer day,
all I leave behind is water
that has washed my brush.
Yosa Buson (1716-1784) *the transition from life to death with the metaphor of a butterfly.
Hard to describe:
this light sensation of being pinched
by a butterfly!*
Oto (-1935)
At night my sleep
Embraces the summer shadows
Of my life
Asenjo (-1776), a geisha and Buddhist nun.
Depths of cold,
Unfathomable,
Ocean roar.
Through the intimate reading experience of the artist book, I hope to foster connection, empathy, and a collective appreciation for the transient beauty that unites us.