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Join on Telegram Fez – In the peaceful setting of Jnan Sbil garden in Fez, Berlin-based artist Philipp Kodjo-Metz presents a deep reflection on conflict and resolution with his latest installation at the 7th Fez Art Gathering exhibition.
Focusing on the interaction between water and rock, the work, titled “Where Water Flows Stone Follows,” sends out a timely message of the power of softness over hardness in our troubled world.
“Right now, there’s a lot of crises going on in the world, and a lot of them stem from people being too unbending in their sentiments,” Kodjo-Metz said in an interview with MWN on his creation.
“You can also think about it as an image of a stone placed into one of the fountains of a garden and bears the inscription ‘where water flows, stone follows’ – hence, the metaphor speaking to the subtle but unrelenting power of flexibility over rigidity,” he added.
Drawing from nature and religious texts, Kodjo-Metz points to an interesting parallel he found in the Quran’s “Surah of The Cow,” which evokes water and stone as symbols in the context of conflict resolution. “The text is talking about how we shouldn’t get harder than stone during conflicts, but rather become soft,” he reflected.
The artist, whose work often takes on themes related to the African continent, as well as broader human cultural experiences, was invited to participate at the Fez Gathering after having given a lecture at a local university. His deep appreciation of the rich craft heritage of Fez weighed heavily in his decision to work with local materials, most particularly the stones of the region.
This installation is a reminder that water serves as both a connector and a divider. “Water makes distances with the rivers, separating lands, but also connects with rivers, even continents with oceans,” Kodjo-Metz told MWN. This duality underlines his central message about de-escalation in today’s conflicts.
Kodjo-Metz’s work beautifully blends the natural and spiritual worlds with modern society, creating a strong call for softness in a harsh world. It reminds us that just as water can wear down stone, gentle persistence can overcome even the toughest obstacles.
Read Also: Fez Art Gathering Urges Collective Responsibility to Tackle Water, Climate Issues
