"The gallery space has a ghostly feel, a place where traces of a past event linger. A hat abandoned on the stage and the absence of human figures intensify the sense of apprehension—yet they also turn us, the gallery visitors, into actors in a staged play. Barak and Gappell invite us into a space that prompts action and choice. The gallery floor is divided into two zones: an area marked “disabled parking” leads from the entrance door to the rear niche, while the rest of the floor is intermittently coated with mice-trap glue, punctuated by holes (reminiscent of swiss cheese), thus restricting the viewer’s movement. The installation layout suggests two optional paths: one safe, the other hazardous. It urges us to choose whether to be active or passive. Should we move into the space as agents, or remain spectators in the disabled parking zone? It compels us to determine what role to play: the abducted children, the disabled ones who remained behind as witnesses to the horror, or perhaps mice caught in a race?

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On the face of things, we seem to have freedom of choice—but both options restrict the viewer’s movement within the space. Thus, the artists question the meaning of choice and the roles of the characters in the original tale in relation to ourselves. Unlike the original tale, which was created to ease the conscience of adults by casting the piper as the “other”—the guilty party and scapegoat — the artists revive the tale in order to raise moral questions and reflections in relation to our current condition. In doing so, they challenge and unravel familiar connections between cause and effect."​

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Text by Dr. Revital Michali​