Lia Dostlieva & Andrii Dostliev, from the Licking War Wounds series, 2016–2021

This tank-shaped salt lamp was purchased from a souvenir shop in Bakhmut in late 2016. Bakhmut is a city in Eastern Ukraine famous for its salt mines. Such tank-shaped souvenirs are only a minor aspect of the general traumatisation of the Ukrainian society caused by the war lasting since 2014. Andrii Dostlev and Lia Dosleva were literally licking (yes, physically licking with their tounges) this particular salt tank, day by day, bit by bit. This slow and quite painful process demonstrates the slow and not necessarily successful re-shaping of the object of trauma.

This artwork is located at The Brink, 15-21 Parr Street, L1 4JN. Venue opening times: Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm; Closed Saturday and Sunday.