Nadia Kaabi-Linke
Walk the Line
Impunities [2012] laser engraved glass
Dallas Contemporary, Dallas [link]
Kaabi-Linke’s work explores themes of gender and trauma. Easily overlooked are the small glass plate laser etchings, which subtly reveal scars from victims of domestic violence. At first glance, the plates appear blank. Only at certain angles, do the etched scars become visible, symbolizing how the issue continues to be hidden below society’s surface. Interspersed are plates with single lines from victims’ stories, such as “I look at her and see a rapist.” and “I didn’t realize it was wrong.” Most work about this issue focuses on polemical documentary-style photography, emphasizing awareness, rather than art-aesthetic. Kaabi-Linke’s quiet, powerful work does both.
~ Colette Copeland
images courtesy of the author
