On my heart

This photograph shows five members of my family who were murdered during World War II. The little boy is my grandfather - the only one who survived. In the top right corner, I have placed myself within the frame. I wanted to stand with my family, to have at least one photograph together.
The idea came to me when my grandfather’s health began to fade. I completed this project a year after his passing. He lived to be 96.
I present this photograph as a medallion worn over the heart. The beads imprinted on my skin symbolize the trace of lives that have passed away. 

To honor his legacy, I took my grandfather’s surname while he was still alive. After our wedding, my husband also chose to take this name.

"Pain is an experience that we all have to understand because if we avoid it we can't transform it. Once you go through the pain, you become fearless."  Marina Abramović