'Pracownia (Studio) Forresta Bessa'

The beautiful primordial forest of eastern Poland are the last fragment of an ancient forest that once covered Europe. Within that forest, a mysterious plaque marks the location of a “wall-less, most perfect, studio” from the fictional world of Kcymaerxthaere.

A long-running art project created by Eames Demetrios, Kcymaerxthaere comprises a series of plaques and other markers around the world. Each of these sites describes an event or character from a parallel universe that, according to Demetrios, “co-exists to some degree with ours.” Most of the installations are bronze or stone plaques inscribed with stories, but some are larger, even entire buildings. As of 2021, there are more than 140 sites spread across six continents and 30 countries.

This marker tells the story of a character named Forrest Bess and his disaggregation in time. It shows the dangers of traveling across the time frontiers in the world of Kcymaerxthaere. Many of the markers tell stories of conflict, so it is pleasing to stand in such a peaceful spot. Bess himself knew relatively little peace, though much of it was here. (Though the marker uses the spelling “Forrest,” many scholars are adamant that the proper spelling is “Forest”).