Shefshari - 2023

Shefshari (sefsari in Tunisian) is a traditional cloth worn by Tunisian women, both Muslim and Jewish. It is similar to a sari. Genetic memory is a type of memory that is passed down through generations, but not through physical traits. It can include memories of fear, experience, and happiness. Tunisian women in traditional households work from morning to night to maintain their homes. They are afraid to complain, as they fear being replaced. Standing for long hours in the kitchen often causes their legs to swell. The shefshari hides this, but the medical problem is not cured and is passed down to their daughters.
The work consists of plaster casts and a family shefshari from the late 19th century, in a different shape of a traditional hat worn only by Jewish women in Tunis as part of the humiliating status of Jews under the dhimmī system.