Strijdom has worked with this theme three times before; in Australia, Italy and Germany. “The wind is mysterious; it arrives out of nowhere and then it disappears again. I am intrigued by its sound through buildings and trees and am always aware that the first sign of its approach is when the leaves start to rustle. This is what I will attempt to express in the skeletal stems holding the leaves, suggesting the trace of the wind.” Land art is primarily about the value of experience, and retrieving the magic of its memory in years to come in an attempt to harness poetry rather than profit.

CATCHING THE WIND

Christina Georgia Rossetti (1830 – 1894)

Who has seen the wind?

Neither I nor you.

But when the leaves hang trembling,

The wind is passing through.

Who has seen the wind?

Neither you nor I.

But when the trees bow down their heads,

The wind is passing by.

Wie het die wind gesien?

nie ek nie, nie jy nie

maar wanneer die blare bewerig hang

en die wind verby beweeg/beweeg die wind verby

Wie het die wind gesien?

nie ek nie, nie jy nie

maar wanneer die bome hulle koppe buig

Die wind verby beweeg/beweeg die wind verby

Ngubani owakhe wawubona umoya?

Asindim yaye ingenguwe owakhe wenjenjalo.

Kodwa xa amagqabi ajika emthini eyokozela,

Umoya uyatyhutyha.

Ngubani owakhe wawubona umoya?

Asindim ingenguwe nawe.

Kodwa xa imithi ithoba iintloko zawo,

Kuxa kudlula umoya.