This isn’t the first time Israeli artist Sigalit Landau has used the Dead Sea to salt items, but her latest creation may leave a certain Disney Ice Queen envious of the breathtaking result. Landau has previously salted household objects, including shoes and lamps; and in 2014, she selected a wedding dress as the focal point for “Salt Bride”.
Landau’s project took inspiration from the 1916 play The Dybbuk by S. Ansky. In The Dybbuk a young bride is possessed by the vengeful spirit of her groom and then undergoes an exorcism. Landau created a replica of the young woman’s black wedding gown worn in the play. Landau then weighted and submerged the black dress into the Dead Sea. Over the course of two years, salt crystals gradually enveloped the dress.
The original black fabric is no longer visible due to the extremely high salt content of the Dead Sea. The garment is completely covered by layer upon layer of white salt crystals with the detailing still visible.
In collaboration with photographer Yotam From, Landau captured the crystallization process in a series of eight underwater photographs. The series showcases the gradual metamorphosis of the dress. The “Salt Bride” exhibition will be on display at London’s Marlborough Contemporary until September 3rd.
Take a look at how the dress changed over the course of two years and how it ended up looking, below.
Sigalit Landau/Marlborough Contemporary
Sigalit Landau/Marlborough Contemporary
Sigalit Landau/Marlborough Contemporary
Matanya Tausig
Matanya Tausig
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