Grief is a natural state that arises in every person's life, triggered by a sudden change or upheaval of the usual order. The image we have of ourselves and the world is altered in the wake of events such as the death of a loved one, a breakup, moving abroad, or other experiences of loss. Grieving is the adaptation to a changed reality, during which we experience heightened emotional stress.

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In the 1970s, Elisabeth Kübler-Ross described five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. This model was later expanded to include two additional stages: initial shock and the beginning of slow improvement before acceptance. These stages do not follow a linear order; they often return with varying intensity and duration. The course of grief is unique in every case: reactions to feelings, coping strategies, and the emotional background of the griever all define the levels of adjustment.

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The leather objects I created reflect various emotional states encountered during grieving. The pigskin used as raw material is tailoring waste that has accumulated in my workshop for years, which I have never been able to either use or discard. Its presence is part of my artistic concept: it simultaneously symbolizes the attachment to old, unnecessary things, an attraction to the aesthetics of imperfection, and the ability of cognitive reframing.

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The creative process has therapeutic significance: just as the griever gradually tries to piece together a shattered reality,the body’s protective layers are built through sewing thousands of leather pieces. Immersion in slow, precise tasks helps structure time, and the finished objects externalize the pain and bring closure to the stages of mourning. The emerging pattern is individual and personal, just as the complex changes that occur in the soul.