Sailing is one of the most relaxing activities you can do. It’s also dangerous when you’re out by yourself, with the threat of going overboard or worse — sinking. So why does this man look so calm when it appears he’s slowly sinking in to the water?
The man you saw “sinking” is Julien Berthier, and he looks so calm because he designed the boat to look that way. The French artist calls this piece “Love-love,” and it so happens to be his most famous work. He took an abandoned yacht, cut it in half, and added a new keel to allow him to sail at the odd angle. Berthier sailed the boat up the River Thames in 2008, causing quite the commotion along the way. Passer-by’s frequently stopped to see if he was in real danger — he quickly had to assure them he was really fine.
Berthier doesn’t own the piece anymore. An unidentified art collector purchased it for a reported 50,000 pounds. The piece has been viewed by many as a sign of optimism since the boat never sinks. It looks like it’s in trouble, but even though it looks like half of it is under water, it keeps pushing forward. What do you think? Do you see this boat as a symbol of optimism?