Parterretrap

FOREVERMORE I love you (A letter to a man) by Hristina Tasheva (Varna, 1976) is a long-term artistic inquiry into how Europe remembers its wars and how those memories continue to shape our identities, our sense of connection, and our ideas about a shared future—a theme that resonates strongly with The Hague, the seat of government, and its many memorials.
Tasheva’s research emerged against the backdrop of the current political climate and the ongoing war in Eastern Europe. The artist, born in Bulgaria and based in the Netherlands, explores the relationship between personal and collective memories and asks whether, despite differing histories and political perspectives, there is such a thing as a shared European “we.”
For her project, Tasheva travels across various cultures of remembrance in Europe, moving from West to East and from historical to contemporary conflicts. She does not merely observe; she also questions the role she herself plays. In doing so, she examines how personal loss relates to collective rituals and how we continue to commemorate today.
The starting point is a love letter from the First World War that was returned to the sender, stamped “KILLED.” It is a small, poignant document revealing how war continues to resonate in lives and families long after the events themselves—far beyond the scope of official history.
From this personal and historical starting point, Tasheva developed a visual language that does not so much provide answers as create space for questions regarding memory, loss, and connection. The images in the exhibition play with the visual language of monuments. With their hushed black-and-white tones, monumental compositions, and references to sculpture and the culture of remembrance, they might at first glance seem to belong in a museum or public space. Yet, they depict neither heroes nor unambiguous historical events. Instead, we see objects, anonymous figures, and uncanny scenes drawn from the culture of remembrance, military history, and historical imagery—elements that leave room for personal interpretation and memory.

It is precisely in Parterretrap that these images take on a special significance. Within the familiar setting of a home, the major themes of war, loss, and memory feel unexpectedly close. The exhibition invites us not only to look at history but also to reflect on the stories and memories we carry with us. In doing so, the gap between the personal and the political—between individual lives and European history—is narrowed.

https://hristinatasheva.com