Ela Bauer

An

The Netherlands, 2010

Necklace

Dimension in cm:

54 x 14.5 x 10

Artist Statement:

This is a huge heart which actually is a

huge knot. That is the key feeling in this

work; a huge, screaming (maybe

bleeding..), knot- heart. The knot is such a

paradoxical form; it consists of “one”, but

through an action (of knotting) it becomes

“two”, with a heart between them. At the

same time it is the ground of endless

processes which in themselves are not

complex, but all together they create an

unsolvable, knotted reality. An un-

followable mass of actions and reactions.

There is no wrong or right, just a complex,

painful situation.

What was your starting point or your

inspiration for doing this project?

I grew up in Israel. I saw the world through

Israeli eyes, took things around me for

granted…

it is very complicated for me to talk about

the Palestinian- Israeli conflict ( what a

weak form to name this situation as

“conflict”…), because many stages of

dealing with the “conflict situation” still

exist in me: At first, you are taught certain

facts. Then you realize that facts can be

interpreted on different manners,

depending on your intention, position,

interests, etc., you become critical. Even

today when reading a book of Amos Oz, or

Alon Chilo, I realize things which I never

saw, or questioned before. Then you have

years of mutual Palestinian – Israeli

actions, reactions, where no matter how

you feel and how sympathizing with the

Palestinian cause you are, you can get the

knife in your stomach, or explode in a

random buss, just because it’s a Jewish or

Arabic buss… These were scary, depressing

and frustrating years, a main reason for me

leaving Israel. I wish things were simpler, I

wish that both could feel the other sides

pain and needs.

What were the main reasons for choosing

the materials, shapes or technique in your

work?

Well, I don’t feel like being moralistic, and

I also don’t think I have solutions… I just

feel this endless, big, complex, painful knot

that is there, and for my feeling will be

there until… time will pass, and things will

dissolve… I chose the form of a knot, which

is a heart, because of the feeling of a huge

knot that I have in relation to this conflict

situation (as I wrote in the chapter

“concept”).I used threads because of their

“linear” character and their simple, basic,

daily character… can embody a trace, a

process. I used different colors of thread,

but the dominating color is red, followed by

black, suggesting… pain..?

Personal information:

personal website:

www.elabauer.com

Inspiring artists:

Louise Bourgeois, Jonathan Safran Foer,

Amy Winehouse

Top 3 materials:

Maybe threads, maybe silicone… all the rest

If I wasn’t an artist what profession would I

choose?

A linguist, scientist in the literature…?