I NEED A LIFETIME (AND BEYOND) LOVER
Text, tinder, valtos sandstone, video, velvet cushion 01 hours 04 minutes
2016-2018
By embarking on a journey to find an "egg-shaped rock," Hautemulle engages in a quest that mirrors a deeply human desire for something lasting, unchanging, and to have their existence witnessed and remembered. The rock, formed by natural forces over millennia, represents a timeless entity, while Hautemulle's life is fleeting by comparison. This contrast highlights the impermanence of human existence against the backdrop of geological time, urging viewers to reflect on their own place in the world.
Hautemulle moved to Scotland, seeking to be shaped by the same natural forces that formed the rock. However, while these forces molded the rock into a symbol of permanence, they have a vastly different effect on the artist, who remains subject to the transient nature of human life. This cohabitation of artist and rock, both influenced by the same environment yet experiencing it in profoundly different ways, underscores the disparity between geological and human timescales.
The creation of a Tinder profile for the rock adds a layer of irony and humor, juxtaposing the serious and contemplative nature of the work with a modern, digital approach to finding companionship. This act can be seen as a commentary on the ways in which contemporary society seeks connection, even with inanimate objects, and how technology is used to navigate human relationships.
The work raises questions about the meaning of companionship, the desire for permanence, and the ways in which we seek to connect with the world around us, even as we confront our own impermanence.
Chapter One: In which the hero is introduced.
Chapter Two: In which the quest for love is begun and the hero begins to see a dilemma.
Chapter Three:In which the hero, confronted by so many candidates, consolidates the options and tries to make a decision.
Chapter Four: In which the hero, failing to make a decision, experiences a series of vapid and transitory relationships, and is ultimately surprised.
Chapter Five: In which, upon the success of the quest, the hero returns with her beloved.
Chapter Six: In which an expert touches upon some of the practical constraints of the romance.
Chapter Seven: In which the hero’s (life and) death is experienced by the love interest.
Chapter Eight: In which the love interest becomes the hero.
Chapter Nine:
Exhibited as part of ‘Life Is Too Short To Be Serious All The Time’, with Jack Evans and Richard Müller, 2018, curated by Georgia Stephenson, at Lumen Studios, London.
Filmed by Rhona Mülebach
Editing with Rhona Mülebach
Sound Design William Aikman
Geological analysis contributed Matthew Staitis
Narrated byRab Magowan
Tinder user advise contributed by Tony McElhinneyInspired by: Jasper Coppes, Lecture at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie, 2015