Cracks

It’s summer, a clear day. A 10-meter log rests beside a 52 cubic meter woodpile, waiting to be sawn and split into smaller pieces. Next to the pile, two machines stand ready: a saw and a wood splitter, accompanied by the hum of a chainsaw. The woodpile, positioned behind a house and next to it a vast field of grass. The saw begins its song with a shrill and slowly cuts through the log. The once formidable log is now in smaller pieces and lying in a pile that are slightly disconnected from its original form. A high-pitched tone emerges from the wood splitter, a harmonious contrast to the aggressive saw. A section of the former log descends onto the machine, its impact against a cross-shaped metal surface creating a satisfying crunch. With a squeaky melody, the wood splits into smaller fragments, moves in a rhythm to the machine’s mechanical tune and is thrown on the woodpile. Each impact punctuated by a crisp thud.