The Art Installation

 

"In the background, we see a curtain made from horsehair, its texture both captivating and unsettling. On the stage, there is a mattress, -a bed, a tomb, a dress-, made of the same material—horsehair. The visual artist works with great concentration on her piece."

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The Approach

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My artistic exploration using horsehair has evolved over more than a decade, integrating elements of my childhood and personal experiences. The work features unique materials such as knitted horsehair and immersive installations, including a mattress and a curtain. These elements play a crucial role in a duet performance titled "Exorcism of the Father", a deeply personal and evocative piece that delves into memory, family relationships, and the inexorable passage of time. Through this medium, I aim to bridge the physical and the metaphysical, allowing the audience to connect with themes of identity, loss, and transformation.

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The Elements

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The Curtain

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The curtain symbolizes the choices we make in revealing or concealing aspects of ourselves. It represents the thin veil between our private and public lives, the duality of exposure and protection. As it sways and shifts, it mimics the way we navigate our own narratives, deciding what to keep hidden and what to share with the world.

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The Mattress

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The mattress is more than an object; it is a space of rest, vulnerability, and recollection. It bears the weight of dreams, fears, and unresolved emotions, serving as a metaphor for the subconscious. It is a site of transformation, where memories are confronted, reinterpreted, and sometimes exorcised.

Together, these elements create a landscape of tension and introspection, illustrating the delicate balance we maintain between self-protection and openness, between what we choose to remember and what we struggle to forget.

 

 

Belle Shafir

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