In the garden of the Cathedral of our Lady, the monumental sculpture Sisyphus (part VIII) (2022) by Marius Ritiu (°1984, Transylvania) takes center stage. The artist started this series in 2019, of which the sculpture for FINIS TERRAE is episode eight. From Transylvania to Antwerp, from Brooklyn to Queens: the artist relocates the meteorites all over the world. A true Sisyphus labor by analogy of the myth. If a meteorite of this size were to hit Antwerp, the city would disappear to ashes. In this way the artist reminds us of the transience and fragility of our existence. Humanity emerged just 300,000 years ago, which is nothing compared to the earth's estimated 4.5 billion years of existence. Man is insignificant against the power of nature. When a natural disaster occurs, nationality, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, and social status become completely irrelevant. 

 

The placement of the works in the garden of the Our Lady's Cathedral brings past and future together. It shows what man has accomplished (religion/meaning/architecture) and what man can possibly bring down: rapidly evolving technology and natural disasters. 

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