Notice violence

A bag that will get noticed. For the issue that is often unseen.

To raise public awareness against the domestic violence, we have teamed up with a famous Latvian artist Kristians Brekte and created a limited collection of NOTICE VIOLENCE bags. 

Both the large and small bags contain symbolic messages, like graphic picture of crying eyes or a well-known Latvian phrase meaning ‘everything’s fine’ that is often used to hide pain. Safety belts used as handles symbolize the lack of safety for violence victims and a change of mindset needed in the society to protect them.

A while ago I burnt some cookies. I panicked and tried to scrape them off the tray, ventilate the kitchen and hide all signs of the accident. Then I ran to the nearest shop to get new ingredients and start all over. I am a grown woman but I'm still afraid that I will get punished.

We were sitting on the couch. From the corner of my eye I was watching him to see if he has suddenly grown angry, if his forehead has tensed up, if his hands have tightened into fists. 

He wouldn't let me cut bangs. I had been holding it back for six years and then one day I finally did it. I was scared to go home. He hasn’t spoken to me for three days already.

We were stacking firewood together. I don't think I said anything offensive, but he was irritated by work and by life, so he threw a log at me. As it was flying straight at me, I thought that perhaps I should show him the pain he is causing but at the last moment I jumped away. It only hit my arm. That's it.

About the stories

"The Physical Evidence Museum" is a documentary exhibition in a private flat, readings of personal experiences and a digital platform that has been running since 2020. The Museum's collection consists of everyday objects – testimonies of domestic violence, sent to the Museum with their stories by women from different places of Latvia. All the stories in the museum are real stories from real people. The Museum's collection continues to grow and everyone is invited to add their own story to it. Thank you for breaking the silence!

www.pieradijumumuzejs.lv

Stage 1

The mission of our interior designers Ieva and Renāte was to give the temporary accommodation an air of a safe haven to regenerate and to gather strength for starting anew. See how an involuntary utilitarian minimalism with basic furnishing essentials has turned into a true home away from home.
 

Stage 2

At the second stage of our makeovers, the task was to freshen up a kitchen of a crisis centre to fit the many temporary inhabitants that come and go here. we didn't want to make the kitchen purely utilitarian, it had to feel like home. See how our interior designer Elīna made this happen.