When considering restroom upgrades, it might be wise to avoid employing this German artist for such tasks.
Indeed, she's an expert in handling foam materials, creating intriguing artworks from this unlikely art material. But longer you look at her creations, the clearer it becomes apparent a certain aspect is a little off.
The thick strands made of silicone she crafts extend past the shelves on which they sit, sagging downwards to the ground. The gnarled silicone strands bulge before bursting open. Some creations break free from their transparent enclosures entirely, turning into an attractor of debris and fibers. It's safe to say the ratings might not get favorable.
There are moments I feel an impression that objects seem animated inside an area,” remarks the German artist. This is why I turned to silicone sealant due to its this very bodily feel and appearance.”
In fact there is an element rather body horror regarding the artist's creations, including the suggestive swelling which extends, similar to a rupture, from the support within the showspace, and the winding tubes made of silicone that rupture resembling bodily failures. Displayed nearby, Herfeldt has framed prints showing the pieces viewed from different angles: resembling microscopic invaders observed under magnification, or growths in a lab setting.
I am fascinated by that there are things inside human forms taking place that also have a life of their own,” Herfeldt explains. “Things which remain unseen or manage.”
Talking of things she can’t control, the promotional image featured in the exhibition displays an image of the leaky ceiling at her creative space in Kreuzberg, Berlin. It was erected decades ago and according to her, was instantly hated among the community as numerous historic structures were removed in order to make way for it. By the time in a state of disrepair as the artist – originally from Munich yet raised north of Hamburg before arriving in Berlin in her youth – took up residence.
The rundown building proved challenging for the artist – placing artworks was difficult the sculptures without concern risk of ruin – yet it also proved compelling. Without any blueprints available, no one knew how to repair any of the issues that arose. Once an overhead section at the artist's area got thoroughly soaked it gave way completely, the only solution meant swapping the damaged part – thus repeating the process.
At another site, she describes dripping was extreme that several shower basins got placed within the drop ceiling to divert leaks to another outlet.
“I realised that this place acted as a physical form, a completely flawed entity,” Herfeldt states.
These conditions reminded her of Dark Star, the initial work 1974 film featuring a smart spaceship which becomes autonomous. And as you might notice from the show’s title – Alice, Laurie & Ripley – more movies have inspired impacting this exhibition. Those labels refer to the female protagonists in the slasher film, the iconic thriller and the extraterrestrial saga respectively. She mentions a 1987 essay from a scholar, outlining these “final girls” as a unique film trope – women left alone to triumph.
They often display toughness, reserved in nature and they endure due to intelligence,” the artist explains about such characters. “They don’t take drugs or have sex. It is irrelevant the viewer’s gender, all empathize with this character.”
The artist identifies a parallel between these characters and her sculptures – things that are just about staying put despite the pressures they face. Is the exhibition really concerning societal collapse beyond merely dripping roofs? Because like so many institutions, such components meant to insulate and guard from deterioration in fact are decaying around us.
“Absolutely,” responds the artist.
Prior to discovering her medium with sealant applicators, the artist worked with other unusual materials. Previous exhibitions featured organic-looking pieces using fabric similar to typical for within outdoor gear or in coats. Again there is the sense such unusual creations seem lifelike – a few are compressed like caterpillars mid-crawl, some droop heavily on vertical planes blocking passages collecting debris from touch (The artist invites viewers to touch and dirty her art). Similar to the foam artworks, the textile works are also housed in – leaving – inexpensive-seeming transparent cases. The pieces are deliberately unappealing, and really that’s the point.
“They have a certain aesthetic that somehow you feel highly drawn to, yet simultaneously appearing gross,” the artist comments amusedly. “It attempts to seem not there, however, it is highly noticeable.”
Herfeldt's goal isn't pieces that offer relaxation or beauty. Instead, she wants you to feel unease, strange, perhaps entertained. However, should you notice water droplets from above too, remember you haven’t been warned.
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