67 x 14 x 7 cm, PLA 3D printing, blue velvet, toy violin
The work The World’s Smallest Violin is connected with Yevgeny Prigozhin (1961–2023), the founder of the private military company Wagner.
The symbol of the Wagner Group is a sledgehammer. In November 2022, Prigozhin presented the European Parliament with a violin case containing a sledgehammer. Inspired by Prigozhin’s idea, I created a suitcase in the form of a sledgehammer with a small violin inside it.
The title of the work refers to the iconic gesture from Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs. The gesture of the “world’s smallest violin” (rubbing the thumb and index finger together) is used to express sarcasm and a lack of sympathy, often as a reaction to someone exaggerating their plight or unjust treatment.
Photos: Manuel Abella