Image of the week… Erja (the free born)

25th June 2023

Erja (the free born) ….. This child arrived into her name.

We arrived in the spot Jan and I named the ‘Tree place’. The thick stalagmite roots as dramatic as the sand slopes into a divided lake.
As ever Jan provided all the essentials, a picnic blanket and an array of snacks. I set up my dark tent in the blistering heat.
Erja naturally darted off to explore her own mind. Within minutes she had built a raft from debris and was using it as a stage for a puppet show of found objects. She began binding twigs and making herself a crown.

“What’s that?” she asked softly pointing at the back tent.

“Oh, it’s a magic mouse village, wanna help me catch one?”

She nodded suspiciously wondering if something had been lost in translation.

As I explained the rules, I slyly slipped a large white sugar mouse inside one of the arm holes of the dark tent. Taking her tiny 5-year-old mitt I guided it inside.

“Now we need to call them…come out little mouse, come out”- she repeated.

I danced the mouse into her palm and watched her eyes explode with surprise as she released her arm to the light.
In disbelief she turned to her grandmother and said
“Look! A mouse”

what a special child, what a special family and what a magical afternoon of play.
@passageartresidency @janstradtmann

OAO x