Jeu de l'Oie
(2005)
Le Jeu de l’Oie is an ancient christianised representation of the Cretan Maze. It is a one-way initiation path.
Only three people managed to get out of the maze : Theseus, Dedalus and Icarus.
Theseus got out thanks to the love of a woman– Ariadne. Dedalus and Icarus flew out, upwards – that is a form of Elevation.
Icarus was lost because of the original sin of pride – wanting to rise to God.
There are thus only two solutions to go beyond our bestiality (the Minotaur) : Love or Elevation.
Through this symbolism of love, it was coherent that the door of the Maze should be in the shape of a woman’s vulva. So that life can be, a man must enter it, so that a new man (a child) can come out, out of love.
The 63 squares/boxes are divided into 7 series of 9 boxes.
Four boxes represent the four elements, then one square represents a gander, then three boxes stand for moral or spiritual qualities, then there is a female goose.
The geese (7 ganders and 7 geese) represent the 7 young virgin men, and the 7 young virgin women, tribute to the Minotaur.
The problem was not to represent but to grasp the essence of each element.
My choice for special boxes is fairly abstract, and very graphic. Gold and silver.