Dina Shenhav

A site specific installation, soft sponge, 400X200X250 cm., 2012 (detail)

In Hansel and Gretel, the well-known fairy tale by the brothers Grimm, the witch’s house is made of cake and its windows are made of chocolate. It is a dream come true for a child, a house full of sweets; seducing to enter it and never leave.
This installation by Dina Shenhav’s was created for an exhibition in the youth wing at the Israel Museum. The sweetness of this room is meticulously designed with soft sponge. Each item here is tempting to touch, most of all the soft bed which welcomes the visitor to lie down.
But be careful - it's a trap! they who will lie down on this bed will not be able to rise again. And if they call for help, their voice will be swallowed by the sweet softness of the sponge. It's a deceptive installation - any sense of security and warmth are shattered when realizing that the chair is impossible to sit on, the games can not be played with, and the bed is detached from the floor. This is a misleading illusion of what could have been a dream house.