LAUREL LEAF IN THE MOUTH, YOU WILL RECEIVE A MESSAGE

Bay Leaf in Mouth, You Will Get a Message Installation: bay leaves, mirror, copper sheet, numbers of missing soldiers, 2026 A circular mirror pierced with openings, from which bay leaves protrude. Each leaf is partially "medalised" — part of it rolled into copper, leaving an impression of the leaf in the metal, while part remains dry and organic. The copper section bears an engraved number of a missing serviceman. The bay leaf exists simultaneously in two registers. The first is everyday: a common kitchen spice, familiar through its scent and bitter taste. In Ukraine there is a folk belief — if a bay leaf finds its way into your mouth while eating, expect a message. The second register is heroic: the laurel wreath as a symbol of glory, victory, and commemoration. Copper here enters the composition of two alloys at once — ammunition and medals. The same metal that kills becomes the metal of honour. The impression of the leaf in copper is not a cast, not a copy, but a trace of pressure — a form that remains after the contact between the organic and the metal. The number of a missing soldier is the official language of the state, registering an absence. The mirror returns the viewer's own face among the leaves — you too are part of this register, this waiting for a message.