I recently came across this striking sculpture.
“Melancholie”, by Romanian artist Albert Gyorgi, can be found in Geneva, Switzerland.
The artist created the copper and tin sculpture after the death of his wife. The statue has been seen and visited by millions: a testament to how it profoundly resonates with survivors and depicts the sense of emptiness that follows the loss of a loved one.
One article on the piece quotes a John Maddox as commenting: “We may look as if we carry on with our lives as before. We may even have times of joy and happiness. Everything may seem ‘normal’. But THIS, ‘Emptiness’ is how we all feel … all the time.”
For another exploration of the struggles of coping with the loss of a loved one, and the deep emptiness that can result, see Ricky Gervais’ After Life, on Netflix.
Update October 18, 2022: We have been advised by a reader that the sculpture is no longer in Geneva and has been moved. The reader advised that it has been moved to somewhere in Ontario as of October 2022. We have not been able to obtain any updated information about its current location.
Thank you for reading.