Photographic emulsion applied to a pillowcase and then exposed to a positive print – a portrait of my mother’s eyes that I had taken a few years ago. The work is sealed in a vacuum bag that must never be opened and contains the scent of my mother, who is far away from me not only physically but also emotionally. The work is based on a childhood memory: when she went to work, I would sleep on her pillow before school and be comforted by her scent, which felt like magic. The work expresses a deep desire to preserve and hold on to something that exists only in the past.
“Ich bin heute sehr beschäftigt, denn
Es ist nötig, die Erinnerung zu töten,
Es ist nötig, daß die Seele Stein wird und
Daß ich wieder neu das Leben lerne.
– Anna Akhmatova
Photo emulsion on a pillowcase
Vacuum-sealed bag
Dimensions: 50 × 70 cm