The war Horses which run swiftly
2025
kinetic installation, vaiable dimension
As if in slow motion, plain wooden crates roll endlessly in circles, rotating on their own axis like a carousel. In her new installation titled The War Horses Which Run Swiftly (2025) at the KINDL, Neda Saeedi replaces the galloping horses of a traditional fairground ride with crates containing sculptural fragments.
When looking at the sculptures, a trained eye may detect among them references to the Pietà motif - a symbol of loss, mourning, and care. Saeedi's Pietà variations speak of pain and solace, human fragility, and the recurring nature of suffering.
At the same time, she shifts the religious motif into a new context: the carousel is typically associated with amusement and joy. The first carousels were developed in the 17th century, inspired by "Ringstechen", a medieval equestrian game used for training warriors on horseback. The warhorses referenced in the work' title evoke a sense of looming apocalypse. Saeedi creates a persistent, rhythmic cycle of mourn-ing, memory, and empathy. The installation raises a central question: How does our perception of suffering change when it repeats before us, again and again?
from the exhibition text by Sadaf vasaei
Photos © Fabian Brennecke and Jense Ziehe
