THE WEIGHT OF ABSENCE

2024

10' x 20' wall installation

Drywall, adhesive dust bags, drilled holes

Vanity Project’s The Weight of Absence turns a 10-by-20-foot wall into both a medium and a witness, confronting the illusion of removal and the persistence of what remains. Through the act of drilling, the artists scar the surface with marks that recall bullet holes, while adhesive dust bags capture the displaced debris.

​

Set against the ongoing violence in Gaza, the work reflects on the lasting impact of Israeli government policies that enforce displacement, destruction, and denial. The suspended dust becomes a symbol of Palestinian lives fractured by conflict, stateless and held in limbo, denied recognition and basic human rights. The drilled scars etched into the wall evoke the relentless violence inflicted on both people and landscapes, turning the surface into an archive of destruction and a site of shared memory.

​

The Weight of Absence rejects the illusion of erasure. What is removed through force, neglect, or denial does not disappear. It lingers, unresolved and inescapable, urging us to confront our collective responsibility for what is taken and what remains, shaping the spaces and histories we inhabit.

​

—————————

​

​This work is grounded in a deep respect for humanity and honors the historical struggles and resilience of Jewish people. The critique addresses the policies of the Israeli government that prioritize territorial expansion over the human rights of Palestinians and Israeli Bedouins. We emphasize and further underscore the crucial distinction between a nation's government and its citizens, while advocating for a just and equitable future for all.

​