Alexander Mihaylovich
In: Time Machine: Anciet Egypt and Contemporary Art. Edited by James Putnam and W. Vivian Davies. Published by the Trustees of the British Museum and the Institute of International Visual Arts, 1994, p. 50.
The 'Colossus of Menes' celebrates the founder of Dynastic Egypt, reflecting the Egyptian style of monumental expression in its immense proportions. I chose to represent Menes, since he is the legendary King whom the Ancient Egyptians themselves venerated as the great unifier of Upper and Lower Egypt. As no contemporary images of him have survived, my work is a composite of numerous portraits of Egyptian Pharaohs. A king that lived some 5000 years ago, Menes is the personification of the unifying principle in all of us.
The scale of the surrounding sculptures and architectural fragments in the gallery inspired me to create an installation of such a size. I had to plan it with great care in order to make it a safe, stable and free-standing structure. The difficult task of its construction took all of seven months. The specially weighted base is designed to anchor it down and the various box sections are engineered employing a bridge-like system of trusses. The sections have been veneered with galvanised metal painted by hand. The most detailed and time-consuming veneers were the limestone-like slabs into which I carved the hieroglyphs. This text is adapted from a scene in the temple at Abydos which depicts King Seti I and his son making offerings to the cartouches of his ancestors featuring the name of Menes in the first cartouche.
I would like my work to stand in humble tribute to a great ancient civilisation. I can only hope that 5000 years from now our modern achievements are remembered with such reverence.