Ashes to Ashes

Artist’s Statement: Ashes to Ashes
Christelle Swart, 2026  

This sculpture was inspired by David Bowie’s haunting song “Ashes to Ashes.”  Constructed almost entirely from recycled materials, the piece began with the root of a Silver Oak tree salvaged from an abandoned stump left behind after the tree was felled. Its twisted, expressive form immediately evoked the silhouette of a performance artist caught mid-execution — a figure suspended between creation and destruction.  Woven through the root are piano strings rescued from a burnt-out house and the ruined piano it once housed. These salvaged strings now symbolise the enduring voice of music itself: even after fire and ruin, the music never dies.  In keeping with my ongoing exploration of transformation and renewal, I have turned discarded fragments — what many would consider junk — into a quiet meditation on resilience, memory, and rebirth. The work reflects my belief that art arises not from perfection, but from the simple will to gather materials and the curiosity to see what they can become.  – Christelle Swart