video
purchased 2020 with the support of the Czech Ministry of Culture
This video shows heart-shaped motifs being embroidered into “bleeding cactus leaves”, accompanied by a melancholy piano melody for one hand. It is a demonstrative example of Dopitová’s use of long poetic titles. The words and poetic titles in her installations play an important role – indeed they often represent the starting-point of the entire work. The other key aspect of the work (and one which is typical of Dopitová’s oeuvre) is its poetic treatment of pain and vulnerability. The video (like its title) conceals the motif of latent manipulation and wounding, which (though it is accompanied by the “loving” motif of the embroidered heart) demonstrates the control over – and wounding of – living tissue. It can also be read with a contrasting meaning, as a monotonous process of personal therapy.