Comfort Object

opening hours Sun-Thu 10:00-18:00 Fri 10:00-14:00

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Our relationship with the objects we collect over the years is influenced by the material space in which they function and the emotional investment we put through them. Age, environment and time are essential elements in this relationship, which is further enhanced by a feeling of bonding and belonging.

 

Recognizing the emotional value of these objects helps us appreciate their roles in our inner lives as something more than just material property and enables us to see them as vital components in the ongoing journey of creating memory, identity and belonging.

 

Comfort Object is an emotional, psychological and artistic initiative that aims to help survivals of the Gaza Envelope rescue an item or object that remained in their ruined homes following the terror attack on October 7. Together with the families, items and objects were collected and sent for restoration while documenting the whole process including the narratives of the survivors.

 

The exhibition, which was born out of this initiative and bears the same name, focuses on a group of unique items, which we articulate as Comfort Objects.

 

In psychology the term “transitional object” refers to a specific object which belongs to the infant and its developmental role enables the baby to believe it is a substitute for the mother presence as a secure base. This developmental milestone enables the Infant to develop trust and love towards meaningful others. In the same vein, we see the objects exhibited in the gallery space as representing the transition from the destroyed and abandoned house caused by the events of October 7 to a new home, be it temporary or permanent.

 

The exhibition presents 15 items through which it aims to echo the events of that horrendous Saturday, to recount what happened and to hold on to the memories of the days before. Documentary photos in the gallery space are presented alongside the refurbished items, revealing the various stages of the initiative, from collecting the items through the rehabilitation story until the items are returned to their owners.

 

Alongside the destruction, devastation, violence and evil experienced in the towns of the Gaza envelope, the exhibition strives to express the strong desire to articulate hope, to recover and to choose life.

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Curator: Michal Krasny