sator rotas
2020
14 x 24 x1,5 cm, ready made, soft cover, collages, cut-outs and stencil, glued binding, series of 2.
The Sator Rotas is a two dimensional Latin palindrome, which consists of a 5 x 5 square made up of five 5-letter words. It is a playful approach and combination opportunities, seemingly endless reappearance of the square.
SATOR – noun = sower, planter, founder.
AREPO – possibly a proper name
TENET – verb = from tenere, to hold he / she / it holds, possesses, masters.
OPERA – noun = work, care, labour, effort/trouble; (from opus): (nominative, accusative or vocative noun) works, deeds; (ablative) with effort.
ROTAS – rotas – accusative plural of rota = wheels
The oldest datable representation of the Sator Square was found in the ruins of Pompei. The farmer Arepo has [as] works wheels [a plough], or The farmer Arepo holds the wheels with difficulty (or with effort).
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