Hannah Joris

'48. Was it not, about him? (Off the

Sedes)

Belgium, 2010

Necklace

Materials:

manioc (cassava), thread, iron

Techniques:

carved, soldered, (assembled)

Dimension in cm:

54 x 10 x 5

Artist Statement:

"[...] - I see everything in his hands" (From

'The man who had his hair cut short',

Johan Daisne, 1948)

The starting point for the creation of "'48.

Was it not, about him? (Off the Sedes)" has

been a combination of the crucifixion of

Christ as a symbol of human suffering and

the variety of expressions through hands.

Furthermore, I was inspired by the

thoughts of Hannah Arendt concerning the

establishment of the modern state of

Israel.w

On the one hand the connotation of the

crucifixion is brutally expressed through

the strict cut of the hands at the height of

the wrists. This aspect also refers to

wounds of war victims and to the

amputation of limbs, a punishment still –

though rarely- practiced in some Middle

Eastern countries. Through the brutality of

the cut off hands and the iron pins, I have

sought a way to express human repentance.

On the other hand an important feature of

the necklace is also its soft, sorrowful

expression: the pale white, smoothly carved

hands remind one of universal human

gestures and aging. We fold our hands

together to pray, hoping or even begging for

improvement.

More generally speaking, the piece reflects

upon the human failure to solve

disagreements. More precisely, in the

context of this portable discussion, I was

interested in the thoughts of political

thinker Hannah Arendt concerning the

establishment of the modern state of Israel.

In 1948 –the year Israel declared its

independence- Arendt wrote an article titled

“To Save the Jewish Homeland: There is

Still Time”, in which she summons the

Zionist leaders to dialogue with the Arab

population of Palestine. All too often this

sense for human plurality is forgotten:

human conflicts become political debates

and battles of self-interest.

What was your starting point or your

inspiration for doing this project?

The starting point for the creation of

"'48.Was it not, about him? (Off the Sedes)"

has been a combination of  the crucifixion

of Christ as a symbol of human suffering

and the variety of expressions through

hands. Also the punishment by amputating

limbs has been an important association.

Furthermore, I was inspired by the

thoughts of Hannah Arendt concerning the

establishment of the modern state of Israel.

Do you have a personal (or other)

connection to the exhibition’s theme?

In a wider sense perhaps my personal view

on humanity: humans as self-destructive

beings, even in their problem-solving. A

critical interest in challenges we are

confronted with through changes in our

contemporary society forms a red line

throughout my work. At the moment I am

researching ways to express these

reflections via the body in jewelry and

sculpture.

Furthermore I have a weakness for

representations of the human body in

Christian iconography and for Hannah

Arendt's critical theories.

What were the main reasons for choosing

the materials, shapes or technique in your

work?

Currently I am working on a PhD in Arts

titled "Via the body. Expressions of the

human condition through the body in

contemporary jewelry art and sculpture" in

which the possibilities of expressing

challenges in our contemporary society

through the human body are researched.

Both the choice of materials and shapes are

related to this research which I am

exploring through artistic work based on

the ( de-)forming of the human body, for

which I often use organic materials to

express bodily features.

In "'48. Was it not, about him? (Off the

Sedes)" this material investigation is visible

in the carved soft manioc. The iron pins,

placed circularly around the hands are a

vague reference to the Crown of Thorns and

the Holy Nails. As for attachments,

techniques are developed according to

concept, material, shape and wearability.

What kind of feeling you wish the viewers

will get from your work?

Hopefully this necklace creates an

opportunity to ponder upon the continuity

of certain problems: the human failure to

solve disagreements between nations,

religions, communities, etc. even though

we are all but one thing: human. How shall

we continue? Along with the brutality of the

cuts and pins, the intention is to

communicate these reflections with a

certain softness and a spark of hope -a

cherished, wearable relic.

If you could give your Jewelry to an

important figure in the Middle East who

will he/she be? and why?

I would not give it to a so-called 'important

figure', but rather to a civilian for whom the

experiences of struggles dictates his or her

everyday life.

Otherwise I would give it to the deceased

political thinker Hannah Arendt; honoring

her notion of dissensus, her emphasis on

the importance of human plurality and her

continuous critical reflection on society and

the way it evolves.