Overview
Shibboleth II is a sculptural installation which underscores the relation between the nostalgia for land and the formation of nationalist identity. By employing the various meanings of shibboleth and by tracing the word to its biblical “origin”, the installation offers a poetic genealogy that foregrounds the politics behind agrarian utopia. The choice of materials and the constant movement of the iron rods can be seen as a reflection on the notion of identity in a globalized age.
Works
Notes
Artist Note
Shibboleth: a custom, phrase, or use of language that acts as a test of belonging to, or as a stumbling block to becoming a member of, a particular social class, profession, etc.
Origin: from Hebrew, literally: ear of grain; the word is used in the Old Testament by the Gileadites as a test word for the Ephraimites, who could not pronounce the sound sh. (Collins English dictionary)
