The bombing of Narva serves a special position in the collective memory of the city. Yet the stories peo- ple share about it are individual and connected to the trajectories of families and particular experiences of family members. In his participatory project “The Matter of Touch”, Pavel Rotts explores the multiple meanings of war to the Narva inhabitants after 80 years have passed since the bombings of 1944.

In an attempt to find new ways to discuss the war, its memory and afterlives, the artist is interested in making the traces of wartime violence visible in the city. During his research in Narva Rotts found many such traces with different shapes and sizes on the brick buildings. In his work, the artist attempts to turn these traces from negative forms on the buildings into visible and tangible structures. While doing so he also helps people notice such traces of war in the Kreenholm area.

In the course of this exhibition, the artist invites the audience to bake bricks with him. What you see in this gallery space will continue to evolve as people will mold new bricks from the heap of clay. Towards the end of the exhibition, the molded bricks will be collectively baked. While doing so, they will turn the traces of war into anchors for the future. The bricks that people take home will start to live their own lives, meeting new ideas, desires and needs. The kinds of anchors they will become and the purposes they will serve will depend on the participants.

Text bt Margaret Tali