The Archive of Handshakes

About

Handshakes are a common form of greeting or agreement between people. They involve clasping hands and shaking them up and down, often accompanied by a verbal exchange such as

“nice to meet you” or “thank you for your time.”

While handshakes have been used for centuries as a way to establish trust and respect between individuals, they have also evolved to have cultural and symbolic significance. In some cultures, a firm and confident handshake is seen as a sign of respect and confidence, while in others, a more gentle and reserved approach is preferred.

In recent years, the practice of shaking hands has come under scrutiny due to concerns about the spread of germs and disease.

During the pandemic, and utilizing a sculpture,  “The Archive of Handshakes” brings together coded statements on contemporary social norms, social rituals and nonverbal communication. The collection of  “air/clay trapped between a handshake”, formed into 28 clay sculptures, attempts to archive for the future a social custom possibly forgotten. The catalog contains objects shaped by a handshake between the author and her family, friends, lovers and colleagues she could not see or touch on a regular basis during the 2020 and 2021. In addition, various data such as exact information, the coordinates of the place where the handshake took place, the time and the weather (wind direction, atmospheric pressure, altitude etc.)  are included in the archive.

Credits

Author

Ljubica Arsić

Type

Sculpture, Clay, about 7x4cm each (28 pieces)

Year

2020/21/22