Sigalit Landau - The Salt Years
Video by Studio Sigalit Landau
Israeli artist, sigalit landau invites viewers to embark on a journey facilitated by the unique feature of one natural resource – salt. drawing inspiration from the dead sea, landau uses the hypersaline body of water to create densely encrusted salt sculptures, emerging everyday objects through a process akin to a dead sea baptism in her series ‘salt years’. landau uses the natural process of salt crystallisation to create pieces that crossover topographical, historical, biblical, cultural, political and environmental realms.
“the years of working with the heavy liquid solution of the dead sea are connected not only to my personal and physical memories, but also to long gone memories of landscapes covered with snow and to a process of mourning; seeking to heal and to repair something through this dialogue with nature,‘ explains landau. ‘frozen, yet concieved by the desset sun and firy-waters, the sculptures are for me like personal archeological testimonies crystallized and immortalized.” —— sigalit Landau
The artist placed different everyday objects in the Dead Sea which has the high salinity seawater. After a long time, These objects will be covered by the salt crystals on the surface.
For 15 years landau has been monitoring various objects placed below the water, these objects are removed once they become ‘salt sculptures’, shoes, ballerina dresses and other objects contribute symbolically to the narrative of the artist’s life.
Landau said : " Every sculpture that rises from the water has a story, a personal story." in her video.
For instance, The ballerina dress.
I can feel some pain and the feeling of wanting to be cured from this art work. The oppression of the artist in childhood (asked by her mother to be a professional ballet dancer), accompanied by the abuse and quarrels of parents on this issue, as well as her own desire to choose the future, these are slowly covered by time, but the coverage is not forgotten, those pain is like memory has been preserved. Like the thick salt crystals that cover the ballet suit, they even change the color of the item itself. But when the hands touch them, they are uneven, even with a little biting.
“A wounded person” I like this description.
Salt Crystal Fishing Net, 2011
Fishing net suspended in the water of the Dead Sea,
106x169x46 cm
Joseph's Violin, 2010
Violin suspended in the water of the Dead Sea,
53x20x11 cm
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