The Still Messenger

Wanderwelle, The Still Messenger, still, b&w, sound, courtesy the artists

The lithopedion of a calf, a calcified remnant of its once-living form as a foetus, floats weightlessly through the infinite expanse of the universe. Despite its lifeless state, it drifts with an eerie sense of purpose as if guided by unknown forces. Strangely, an ominous humming sound is perceptible, although it is not clear whether it is emitted from within the calf or its pitch-black surroundings. Against the backdrop of countless stars, the petrified foetus continues its journey, a paradoxical blend of death and movement.

The calcified calf serves as a poignant symbol representing the duality of existence. It embodies the finite fragility of individual life, while simultaneously existing as an enduring monument, transcending temporal constraints as it traverses the cosmos. The concept of panspermia—the hypothesis that life is seeded throughout the universe by meteorites, comets, or other space rocks—though unrealized in this instance, lingers as a testament to humanity’s enduring quest for understanding the mysteries that continue to elude our grasp. Once perhaps a vessel of life’s potential, its fate as a lithopedion unveils a cosmic irony — a failed bearer of life in an infinite void.

Date
2024

Medium
Digital video (b/w, sound)

Duration
2:34 min.