Message Number 7B, Ecclesiastes VII:6 1959

Mathias Goeritz created "Message Number 7B, Ecclesiastes VII:6," using gold leaf to evoke a powerful sense of spiritual and emotional depth. The shimmering gold, traditionally associated with divinity, royalty, and enlightenment, invites us to contemplate the nature of sacredness and value. Consider how gold has appeared across cultures, from ancient Egyptian burial masks to Byzantine icons, each time signifying a bridge between the earthly and the divine. Yet, here, the rough texture and fragmented surface disrupt the perfection usually associated with gold, suggesting a more complex, perhaps even melancholic, interpretation. Think of the psychological weight of gold, how it triggers desires, anxieties, and a deep-seated yearning for something beyond our grasp. Goeritz taps into this collective memory, reminding us that the pursuit of material wealth often leads to disillusionment, echoing the biblical verse from Ecclesiastes about the futility of laughter. The fragmented application of the gold leaf also creates a sense of vulnerability, resonating with the recognition of the fleeting nature of life. The symbolism reveals how motifs evolve, carrying echoes of past beliefs while adapting to contemporary emotional landscapes.