ISLE OF TOVAH
INTRODUCTION
Reflecting on our troubled world, I inadvertently came upon the work of South African artist, Walter Battiss. I was intrigued by his concept of the imaginary Fook Island, a place with its own language, alphabet, stamps and currency, functioning as a critique of Apartheid. Battiss travelled internationally using his Fook Island passport, even presenting his Fook Island driving licence in the USA Conceptually different, yet it inspired me to embark on my own utopian project.
BACKGROUND
Inspired by the penguins of the isolated Dyer Island, I began visualising a perfect place for family and friends, referring to it as the Isle of Tovah. The word Tovah originates from ancient Hebrew, meaning ‘good’ or ‘pleasant’. It also refers to the goodness of God, and is associated with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. This is the holiest, most solemn of all Jewish religious holidays. Atonement references penance and forgiveness, reaching across a divide towards reconciliation.
Penguins remind us of humans. They walk upright and have human characteristics. They are also curious, friendly, gregarious – and irritable. The penguins of Dyer Island have faced a perilous journey and many hardships to get there. I propose that they function as a metaphor for those who have persevered through life’s hardships, eventually finding peace and harmony.
THE THEME
I invited friends and family to become citizens of the Isle of Tovah as a way to include them in my creative process and works. I requested handwritten letters from each person, inviting them to share their life stories and their visions of a utopian space. These newly-minted citizens inspire the culture of the Isle of Tovah. Its official currency is the Tollar, a combination of the words ‘tolerance’ and ‘dollar’. Like other independent states, it has its own flag and anthem. Access to the Isle of Tovah is limited to Tovah passport holders who have to travel by sea to reach the island.
METHODOLOGY
This project documents my life’s journey and those of the people who are dearest to me. Inspired by my 90-year-old mother, the Isle of Tovah is the culmination of a journey to personal liberation and a heightened sense of self-awareness. I wish to share this utopian position with those who have experienced hardship, disappointment and loss – and yet have had the tenacity to endure. Fragments of fabric, paper and the letters from loved ones are embedded in the works, revealed and concealed beneath pen and ink sketches.
MY WORK
My work maps this imaginary place as a geographical location. It is based on a place with personal significance, Dyer Island, close to Franskraal in the Western Cape. The Isle of Tovah is a utopian place, reflecting what is inherent within us all, namely the capacity for goodness, morality and resilience. A place where the human spirit can flourish and bloom in genuine interaction with nature. It is more important than ever to be utopian, especially in the 21st century, to believe in, advocate for and work towards a better world
The Isle of Tovah and its narratives emerge as a tapestry interwoven with threads of community, interconnection, kindness and hope. Barbara Kingsolver’s 1998 novel, The Poisonwood Bible, serves as a perennial caution. It may be compared to what is happening in the world today: the powerful impose their will on the powerless using culture, religion or politics. Kingsolver subtly reveals the interconnectedness of human lives and the consequences of the choices we make.
My artworks include, banknotes, artist books and various mixed media and ink and bleach work.
CONCLUSION
Battiss’s Fook Island concept inspired me to consider my own interpretation of a utopian place. Although Fook Island and the Isle of Tovah have different political and social underpinnings, there are similarities in the creation of a currency. My artworks, inspired by the notion of a fictional place, reflect the yearning for a utopian space where humans can flourish in peace within the natural world. A place that encourages personal growth, liberation within utopian principles. The penguins are a metaphor for human tenacity while the island symbolises our interconnected existence. The final artworks are a manifestation of my imagined hope.