The “Sankalpa” wood sculpture by Vicco von Voss, at the foot of Hight Street.
Image of the Day—Sankalpa by Night
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Bob Foss says
Beautiful piece Vicco. Hat’s off to you and all the folks that will make the first Chestertown RiverFest a memorable one.
Bob & Pam Foss
Barbara in den Bosch says
Beautiful sculpture, Vico. Well done! What does Sankalpa mean?
Vicco and Jacqui von Voss says
Hi Barbara- Thank you for your nice comments. Here is a description of “Sankalpa” that we wrote for the program Saturday.
“Sankalpa” is a Sanskrit term composed of 2 root words: “San” meaning “an idea formed in the heart” and “Kalpa” meaning “a way of proceeding”.
In the practice of Yoga, “Sankalpa” is a process of initiating a sacred endeavor: First, the attention is turned inward to reveal one’s highest aspiration, then from this clarified point, an intention is formed serving to guide inspired action and manifestation.
“Sankalpa”- as the interplay of aspiration and inspiration, is a name that captures the sculpture’s dynamic movement and structural design, and reflects the spirit of RiverFest as a celebration of inaugural events, initiative plans, and the expression of our community’s values and resources.
The design of the sculpture symbolizes evolution and transformation through it’s directional movement and gateway passages. The 3 spires and connecting arches metaphorically point to the ascent of aspiration, the descent of inspiration and grace, and the 3 phases of time.
Each “spire” represents the individual growing like a flower, reaching towards the light. This upward movement is made possible only through the downward “rooting” or anchoring into the river bottom.
In the changing river tides and currents, both strength and flexibility is achieved through a “bridging” of arches, representing the sustainability that occurs when we join together in communal collaboration. The arches form 3 gateways signifying Time- Our past history, our present resources and our future initiatives towards growth and development.