The silkworm lives its pupal life in a protected, safe cocoon, and when the time comes, it frees itself, leaving its cocoon behind. For humans, the physical and emotional cocoon that initially protects them becomes constricting, losing its elasticity, becoming more of a barrier than a protective enclosure.
Leaving the old cocoon, breaking down the barriers and finding new ones, brings both anxiety and excitement. The shells we peel away are part of our past, memories and lessons we carry with us. These experiences shape us and help us to weave a new cocoon around ourselves that better fits our current reality and desires, while balancing on the borderline between vulnerability and exposure.
Kinga Földi’s caterpillar sculptures tell the story of these experiences in the hope that stepping out of the cocoon is not only a loss of security, but also the birth of a new, more beautiful and richer way of life. Shantung silk is the raw material for his work. This magical and richly symbolic textile has become an irreplaceable companion.
In his play with the cocoon, silk is not only a raw material, it is a symbol of the constant transformation of the human soul. The delicate silk fibres released when the hard cocoon is broken down speak of the strength that comes from weakness, vulnerability and beauty.