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‘Salt Years,’ Explores Sigalit Landau’s Lifetime Relationship With the Dead Sea

Israeli artist Sigalit Landau (previously) has a practice that is deeply tied to working with the Dead Sea. Landau uses the hypersaline body of water as both a photographic backdrop and medium to suspend everyday objects, creating densely salt-encrusted sculptures. The items she chooses for her pieces are sometimes simply based on their textures and shapes, while others are chosen in order to filter memories that have been passed down to the artist through her parents and grandparents.

“These objects leave ‘the game’ of being useful ‘things’ and enter a new realm – the open space of representation,” said Landau to Colossal. “They loose their old features and dimensions and inhale a certain pureness of spirit, treated by climate and enhanced by emotion.”

A new book titled Salt Years, explores Landau’s process, bringing a new perspective to her salt crystal sculptures, video art, and images created over the last 15 years. Within the book Landau explores her process of “baptizing” objects in the Dead Sea’s waters, showcasing how the salt-filled sea breathes new life into the inanimate works through behind-the-scenes photos, and personal notes and essays.

You can pre-order the 288-page book through Landau’s Indiegogo campaign, and follow its progress through the book’s Facebook.