Ancient objects and materials conceal clues of past cultures. By employing technological means, hidden histories are revealed with details about the ancient users’ ways of life. A microscopic examination of a plaster wall taken from an archeological excavation in Ramat Rachel in 2019, found tiny grains of pollen, a plant fertilization powder. The process revealed the exact species of trees that grew in the garden on that same site two thousand years ago. Information preserved in solid materials such as stone raises questions about the type of information found in softer materials,and its potential to be passed on to future generations. Felt, a soft material made of wool fibers, has the ability to preserve plants’ pollen, react to climate conditions, and absorb the tiny particles of human existence. Unlike the stiff nature of stone, most commonly used for architectural elements, the top of the column presented in Mis-finding is made of a soft fibrous substance, encourages preservation of material memories on the one hand, while being capable of decomposing on the other. In so doing, the project explores the conflict between our desire to pass on information to future generations, and our wish not to leave material remains behind.
David Shat, Roni Yeheskel