Making art from the objects grandma left behind

Danielle Brustman was contemplating the role of music, legacy and memory within her family when inspiration struck.

The Melbourne-based designer wanted to find a way to pay tribute to her grandmothers, Marta and Dora, and their journeys to building better lives in Australia.

The result is the deeply personal, I could have danced all night, an audio-visual exhibition that explores the power of objects to hold stories, which premiered at the Jewish Museum of Australia last weekend.

“I wanted to honour both women. The intention was to design something that contains their memory, or a location in which I can place their memory,” Brustman told The Jewish Independent.

A pair of intricately designed boxes sit at the centre of the exhibition – one a music box, the other a jewellery box – which capture the fabric and memories of Brustman’s matriarchs. The jewellery box is made from repurposed timber that came from Dora’s vanity dresser, while the music box is informed by the shape of a 1960s handbag that Marta used to shop with.

The boxes are imbued with each grandmother’s history, personality and cherished belongings. For example, the tortoise shell base of the music box is a nod to Marta’s signature hair comb, and is embossed with the titles of songs she used to sing to Brustman, while the colours are inspired by her clothing and favourite lipstick.