in 2020, sculptural construction of yellow and black lacquered wood, metal, and plastic, height approx. 160, width approx. 60 cm, depth approx. 30 cm. (MHA) The object can be used wherever firm handshakes, so familiar to all of us, were exchanged before the pandemic: namely as a gesture of mutual respect and social interaction. The Safe Handshake Station thus lends itself to being employed when concluding contracts, offering one’s congratulations, welcoming people, bidding farewell, and all kinds of activities calling for a traditional handshake. After all, there is hardly a substitute in our civilisation for the symbolic value of offering one’s hand. This stable apparatus is excellently visible and furnished with a transparent screen and a bottle of disinfectant on either side.

A unique piece.

The smaller precursor, mobile Hand Shaking Apparatus 1.0, is widely used in the artist’s social environment and was also chosen as one of the most amusing coronavirus artefacts by the Munich Stadtmuseum. With both of his creations, the artist wishes to help people come to terms with reduced contacts and distancing, which have nowadays become indispensable measures. He is convinced that one should seize every opportunity to make people laugh or smile.

“The lockdown in spring 2020 was a deep shock. All of a sudden, we no longer had customers and visitors at our studio. No more conversations, no more enquiries, no more consultations, no more firm handshakes. Before, they had been part of our daily routines. In order to escape this, I have realised an idea: I have built a portable coronavirus distancing and handshaking apparatus. It guarantees the prescribed distance between two people shaking hands, while the movement of shaking hands is made possible – entirely without contact.” (Jaroslav Komon in 2020)