Child Welfare

The exhibition’s epilogue in the last room finds its articulation through a new video work. It centres on the remaining responsibility some women still share with their ex-husbands after the divorce. Often the split custody of the children is the only remaining connection between the divorcees. The video Child Welfare, which stages this type of relationship, was shot from a high angle observing two cars that repeatedly meet on that spot. The only person that ever exists and enters between the cars is a girl who at times is carrying presents or is eating ice cream. This video tries to pick up on the underlying problems that can occur within a family with divorced parents. The parents often don’t communicate directly, so the child becomes the only link between them. Often, they lavish the child with special treats because they feel insecure and/or have a guilty conscience. Through this work the narrative of the show ends in drawing the attention to the children, as they are severely damaged when living under an atmosphere of violence. Often the mental trauma of the children only surfaces after the divorce; it is something that they and their surroundings need to cope with immediately, and in the long term often has an impact on who they ultimately become.