tippinG|Point
An interpretation
The triptych ‘tippinG|Point’ has an exciting composition that allows for many levels of interpretation.
tippinG|Point shows the critical moment when the apparent balance of everything we are used to tips over.
FEMININITY
Centrally located in the composition are two abstracted vulvas, arranged as if in reflection of one another. This reflection can be interpreted as a metaphor of duality and balance in equal measure. The image creates an omnidirectional symmetry in asymmetrical fractions, which establishes a strong connection between the two spheres above and below.
The connection, the only point of contact, seems to be provided by a glass-like structure or viscous, transparent liquid, which only at second glance takes the form of an hourglass. It suggests the flow of time and the aspect of transience. The hourglass shape is a strong symbol that points to the ‘tipping point’ – a moment when balance tips and irreversible change occurs.
The vulvas can be interpreted as a nourishing, protective and life-giving force, as the primal womb of the earth and the cosmos – connected through time in a fragile balance.
TIME - Change and Evolution
The ‘liquid’ that connects the most sensitive parts of both vulvas, the two clitorises, can be understood as a metaphor for time itself. It seems viscous, contracting or about to tear, depending on whether a movement towards or away from each other is considered. This suggests that change happens slowly or suddenly, but always inevitably.
Influencing or even stopping change seems virtually impossible here.
The hourglass is a universal symbol for the passing of time, but in this image it also seems to point to the ultimate ‘tipping point’ – the point at which something changes, whether in an individual or political, social and ecological context. The image plays with the idea that time can be both a healing and a destructive factor, depending on how it is used.
DECISION – Destruction and a fresh start
The colour gradients from blue to red, seemingly in the background of the two vulvas, and the diagonal lines that arise from them appear like reflections on the thighs of the two dark bodies. Blue traditionally stands for cold or stability, while red stands for heat and destruction. These colour transitions and stripes point to the global phenomenon of global warming, in which temperature changes are pushing the planet towards a tipping point – a point at which the climate equilibrium tips. Their apparent reflection on the thighs of the bodies as blue and red lines not only underlines the duality on both sides of the tipping point but also brings it into relation with ourselves.
The title of the image, ‘tippinG|Point’, also suggests an urgency here and focuses on the moment in the here and now when decisions have to be made; there is no going back once this point has been crossed. In this context, it can be understood as a warning that shows that the time to change something in one's own interest is limited.
The way the title is written – with the ‘|’ separating the two parts – could be understood as a further indication of a symbolic representation of the gap between two states: before and after the balance tips. The capital ‘G’ emphasises the fact that this ‘Great’ moment is taking place on a global scale and that not only small changes but fundamental shifts in the balance of nature and society are to be expected.
‘ANTAGON’ – Time and Decision
The hourglass and the title ‘tippinG|Point’ illustrate the tension between decision and time. On the one hand, the hourglass shows the linear nature of time – the unstoppable – but on the other hand, it symbolises a moment that is in limbo and may depend on a single, tiny decision.
This decision could be made at both the individual and collective level. The tipping point thus represents not only a biological, climatic or social state, but also a moment when people have the opportunity to act consciously and make a difference, or to experience the consequences of inaction instead.
VISUAL STRUCTURE AND DYNAMICS
The diagonal lines on both sides, leading out of the blue and red zones, could also indicate forces that are drifting apart or equally colliding, merging. They can be understood as symbols or references to the tensions in the world that point to various crises and catastrophes – be they political, social or ecological.
The three red dots on the left and right sides of the image also appear significant. A possible repetition or escalation of events seems to want to emerge like an ominous premonition – a visual suggestion that the ‘tipping points’ will repeat themselves again and again in different contexts.
CONCLUSION
‘tippinG|Point’ is a profound artwork that allows for a multitude of interpretations, particularly in relation to climate change, gender dynamics and the flow of time. It represents the critical moment at which the balance – both on planet Earth and in social and political contexts or within ourselves – could tip, can tip and will tip. The female vulvas, placed centrally in the image, underscore the importance of fertility, renewal and protection, while the hourglass at the centre points to the shrinking window of time to address the challenges ahead.
The work challenges the viewer to reflect on the point of tipping out of balance, and emphasises the urgency of action in a world that is at tipping points, both ecologically and socially.