Remove, Repair, Repeat (2022)

Glass, fishing wire, metal

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“remove, repair, repeat” was inspired by a recent act of hate that occurred outside the Russian embassy in Tallinn. Ukrainian Jews had attached a cardboard sign thanking Estonians for their help during the ongoing invasion, to which they highlighted their Jewishness with a Magen David (lit. Shield of David). This brought me joy every day that I passed it but an individual decided the Magen David, a symbol synonymous with Jews worldwide, should not be seen and forcibly removed this part of the sign. I redrew the symbol and within a short timeframe, it was removed again.

This led me to create an installation that mimics that act of redrawing whilst simultaneously exploring my relationship to a symbol I wear daily. A literal deconstruction/reconstruction of the Magen David. Hanging above broken glass this pairing shows the potential for violence and alludes to the aggression Jews have face. The juxtaposing spheres carve a staircase into the negative space allowing the audience time and space for reflection in the resulting spatial tension. What effect do symbols have on us? Does the original meaning remain after a partial removal?