This collaborative piece came to life from the play on the words grief and “griffes” (claws, in french). It tells two tales, captured by a collection of digital photographs and sculptural pieces.

Both trivialized and obsessed over, painted nails and acrylics serve many as tiny canvases for self-expression. Yet anyone who’s broken a nail or struggled with extravagant extensions, can relate to the pain and frustration that ensues. Just as we cannot directly experience the tactile sensation of someone else’s nails, we cannot truly comprehend another person’s grief.

The first story explores how one moves through the world with the burden of “griffes”; the second, conveys The grief of a broken nail - broken by a nail. Both concepts draw parallels with how individuals navigate (or avoid) grief.