A Meadow for Heartache is a site-specific monochromatic mural painting of a flowering meadow with an accompanying sign and sandbags. The meadow painting is made with egg oil tempera mixed with natural pigments and essential oils extracted from a selection of medicinal plants claimed to be beneficial for heartache. The plants included are valerian root, rosemary, catechu, poppy, rhubarb root, hawthorn, lavender, rose petal, turmeric, and motherwort. The properties of these plants are said to be calming for the nerves and may install a sense of tranquillity. This specific concoction could potentially serve as an aid in living a prosperous life.
Egg oil tempera has been used since ancient times and was very popular in medieval and renaissance painting. The paint is non-toxic and includes egg, linseed oil and pigments. The mixture of pigments determines the colour of the paint and, in this case, the colour of the flowering “meadow”. The sign accompanying the meadow painting is infused with essential oils from the same medicinal plants, and the sandbags holding the sign in place are filled with dried plants. Over time, the painting starts to “cry” with paint and oil slowly dripping from the painting down along the wall.
A Meadow for Heartache is commissioned by Röda Sten Konsthall and was installed in their “lounge” as part of the exhibition dhak dhak ho-hum ah eekff iii ie, 2022 curated by Amila Puzić & Mia Christersdotter Norman.