Secrets

The work draws on childhood rituals – the ‘secret games’ also known as ‘widoczek’ (‘views’ or ‘peeks’). This involves burying carefully arranged treasures (flowers, stones, beads, leaves, etc.) in the ground and then covering them with a piece of glass. The secret of their existence is revealed to special and close people as an expression of trust. In traditional ‘Secrets’, the glass protects objects that are precious in the child’s eyes, which become visible once the layers of soil are removed (the glass protects the hidden artefacts whilst simultaneously revealing them). Here, the glass acts as a boundary between the treasure and the outside world, between the private and the public. In my ‘Secrets’, a fragment of broken glass addresses the issue of violence – it bears traces of skin injuries that are integrated into it. At the same time, it is in itself an oppressive element, partly due to its sharp edges. It could therefore be used as a weapon of attack or self-defence. The work addresses a phenomenon that is a social taboo. Victims of domestic violence usually hide the evidence of its existence out of shame or fear. Paradoxically, they do so in the hope that someone will discover these marks and react, putting an end to the victim’s suffering. It is a work of very small dimensions and immense significance. I invited the participants to dig my work out of the ground. I wanted the ‘dirt under their fingernails’ to stay with them for longer and prompt reflection. Just as in life, not all games are fun.

‘GlassGo2’ is a research project by the SIC! BWA Wrocław gallery, focusing on analysing the condition and function of glass and ceramics in urban spaces.