Sculpture – Ondřej Oliva: water and fire

Two sculptures by Ondřej Oliva are at the heart of a project entitled “The Forest of Memories”, a new space at the Neredin Cemetery in Olomouc (Czech Republic) and the venue for final farewell ceremonies for several weeks now. For this commissioned work envisaged for a both public and intimate place, the Czech artist used his repertoire of natural and organic forms to create a rich symbolic language that evokes the cycle of life.

These sculptures reflect their environment (a wooded area) and their “function”, which is to create an atmosphere of reverence and contemplation around two elements closely linked to all human destiny: fire and water.

We asked Ondřej Oliva about the genesis of this project and its captivating beauty.

What is the story behind the creation of these two sculptures?

The architect and the Administrative Director of the Olomouc Cemetery asked me to create sculptural elements for a new ceremony space, the Forest of Memories. For two months, I worked on several options and approaches for this project. Together, we chose the most suitable versions from my various sketches, developing and refining them until we arrived at the final form.

Following approval, I began to craft the sculptural elements. First, I created a wax model of each piece, which was subsequently molded and then cast in bronze or aluminum. After this, there was the chisel work, surface treatment, and finally, the installation of the sculptures on the site. In total, the works took 10 months from conception to completion.

How did you integrate the two sculptures into their environment?

I was provided with all the specifics of the ceremony site: the exact location, the characteristics of the surrounding park, and the number of trees already present. My objective was to ensure that the sculptures would enhance and complete the space with sensibility. To this end, I used natural motifs and introduced two elements which accompany us throughout our lives: water and fire. The human body is composed of over fifty percent water; after death, it returns to the earth in the form of ashes. Water and fire are inextricably linked.

What message did you want to convey with these two sculptures which combine elements such as plants, fruits, and shells?

I have been working with these elements and symbols for a long time. I like to interweave organic and natural forms in my works which, when combined, help to tell a story. The sculptures resemble fragments of old trees whose roots are hidden deep in the earth, like our destiny or our faith. The branches and the bark of the trees, covered with leaves, can be interpreted as a reminder of the cycle of life, death and rebirth which is repeated every year in nature.
The bronze apples symbolize the fruits of our labors or our descendants. Certain parts of the sculptures are composed of fragments of scallop shells, symbols of the pilgrims on all their journeys, in life and towards heaven. Lastly, I placed four sculpted bronze plaques on the upper edge of each sculpture to represent the four cardinal points.