A Ravage of Time

Porta Tufi, a ravage of time

Porta Tufi, like much of the architecture in Siena, has been incredibly well preserved. But what struck me most about Porta Tufi was not the gate itself, but how the walls on either side were much further along in their states of decomposition. To the left, the bricks crumble away and plants have spouted from the rubble. A dwarfed cypress tree has taken root atop the wall. This image begs the question of what we choose to preserve when faced with the unavoidable ravages of time. Perhaps keeping the gate saves the memory of the wall; the point of entry implies there was something that had to pass through. I chose to represent my gate with paper, a substance extremely susceptible to decay.

The sculpture includes only the most prominent details, or those parts that might last millennia to come. On either side of the arch the paper rips where it would connect to the wall, so an unfamiliar viewer would know that this gate was not always a solo monolith.