3 spijkers – 3 nails from Pepijn van Zoest on Vimeo.

Every year, on the 24-th of June, bonfires are lit in France. It is the name day of John the Baptist. The fires are called: ‘Les Feux de Saint Jean’ (the fires of Saint John). This bonfire use to be a common ritual in the countryside. These days there are only a few places left celebrating this old traditional rite.

Why the 24-th of June? It is the summer solstice, the longest day and beginning of the summer. Scientist believe the non-Christianized Gaulle’s already celebrated the coming of the summer heat. And Evangelical preachers, who come to bring Christianity, did not want to frustrate people by abandoning rituals they got used to. Only the name was changed. A plausible hypothesis, probably also true for other Christian feasts like Christmas and Easter.

In the community of Sussey the bonfire, Le feu de la Saint Jean, is lit every year on the Saturday closest to the 24-th of June. Sussey is situated in Burgundy, near the village of Sallieu and not far from Dijon. The area is called Côte d’Or, the Golden Side. It has lovely rolling countryside, is friendly and picturesque. France as what you would imagine it to be like.

I come here quite often to the small village Le Maupas, part of Sussey’s community. I live in a barn that is slowly transforming into a house. I feel totally comfortable with the Burgundy people. and have many friends here. Perhaps history has something to do with it. During the 15th century, the Burgundians and the Dutch where united in one country, during the period of Philip the Great and Charles the Brave. Holland was part of the grand Duchy of Burgundy. In Dutch the word Burgundy stands for those who like to enjoy the good life.

I got enthusiastic when I heard about ‘le feu de la Saint Jean’. I am an ephemeral artist. I create transient objects. Everything in this world is transient and has sooner or later to go. And make place for what comes in the future, people, animals, plants, things. All these things will be founded upon what was once. This bonfire nicely expresses this concept.

And so I got the idea to build big wooden animals. In a collective effort, local people and friends from Holland, build a beast. And once finished to put it on fire. Building is an important part of this happening. In a collaborative effort and having fun in working with our hands, we are rewarded with a magnificent sculpture. In 2008 I created a bull. In 2009, a wild swine. In 2010, a rooster. And this year it will be a horse.