A mysterious phenomenom has come this
summer to one small stream in the Garfagnana – stone balancing.
Strange figure-like constructions stand
guard, immobile, along a rushing stream near the Tuscan hill-top
town of Barga. Some appear to be in an almost human form, others
are like birds. What makes them unusual is that nothing holds
these towers of stones together except gravity. No cement. No
glue. Not even a small pile of sand comes between the naked stones,one
piled upon another. Improbable feats of balance, one long pearl-shaped
stone stands – upside down as it were – on another. Three on
top of each other here. Four there. Five. All suspended, as if
for eternity. But the reality is much more fragile: the most
miniscule change can send them all toppling back into the stream.
A strong breeze, the merest touch, a failed attempt to add another
to the already unlikely constuction and the work is destroyed.
One large slab of rock has several egg-shaped
stones of various sizes all precariously perched along its ridge
– and some others cling to one of its sides, which looks easier
to achieve – until you try to add to it yourself. Long lozenges
of rock balanced on a tip have had smaller rounder stones balanced
on their tops, giving them almost the appearance of human figures.
In places three or four are clustered together in small family
groups. You are irresistibly reminded of the stone heads of Easter
Island, or the creations of Brancusi, or Epstein or Barbara Hepworth
or Henry Moore – isolated, impenetrable, silent.
Even the inevitable attempts at representations
of those parts of the human anatomy generally kept decently covered
have a kind of primitive charm, and no little skill in the realisation.
And who is doing all this work? No-one
knows.
It appears it was started some weeks
ago by someone who lives nearby, but then others who have happened
upon this somewhat remote spot have continued the installation,
and now dozens of these statue-like constructions stand along
a hundred-metre stretch of the stream. Almost everyone who comes
seems to want to add to this exhibition, with however small a
contribution.
One of those who has added to the creation
of this free art gallery talked about the experience.
“It is almost mystical,” he
said, “to feel a sudden realisation of an improbable equilirium.The
most unexpected alliances can be achieved, and as you gently
move the stone on top you can somehow sense whether the two can
make a happy alliance. You try one way, then another, you feel
it might just be possible, then the most tiny of adjustments
and it suddenly locks into place. You begin to set fresh challenges
for yourself, and look for bigger and more improbable stones
to try and balance on top of others.
“The whole thing is so ephemeral,
and yet is has an appearance of permanence. Sometimes the equilbrium
is so fine that if it has been achieved when one of the stones
has still been wet from the stream, it can be lost as the sun
dries out the stone, and you hear one that ten minutes ago was
standing quite firm suddenly tumble into the water again”
The only thing for certain is that this
unique display is transitory. The wind and the water will soon
take away all this work. A salute, therefore, to all those who
unselfishly and anonymously have given their time and the creative
effort into creating a park of spontaneous free-standing sculpture
in this secret place that will pass, with summer, into only a
fond memory.
2nd September …
