Additional photos

Tears II, 2026

By Veronika Synenka ^{Emerging artist}

30 x 20 cm

Glass, bio material

The second work, Tears II, explores the nature of tears — their physical composition and emotional significance. It presents two types: reflex tears (min. 0.8% salt) and emotional tears (max. 1.2% salt). Each type was dried separately on glass. After the water evaporated, it became visible where the salt was concentrated — the salt becomes a material trace of emotion and physiology, making visible the difference between the bodily and the spiritual, the involuntary and the conscious. This work also references Victorian England, where a belief existed that when someone close died, women would collect their tears in small glass jars and leave them open; the mourning lasted exactly until the water evaporated, leaving only the salt behind. The work is dedicated to my friend Tymofiy Anufriev, who perished on the 31st of December, 2025, on the Zaporizhzhia front. The work is part of my Museum of Nomad project. Its inventory card is attached as separate image in the additional photos section.

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