Exploring Lisa Herfeldt's Eerie Silicone-Gun Sculptures: In Which Things Feel Alive

If you're planning bathroom renovations, you may want to steer clear of engaging this German artist for the job.

Truly, she's highly skilled using sealant applicators, producing compelling artworks from this unlikely medium. But longer you examine the artworks, the stronger it becomes apparent that an element feels slightly unnerving.

The dense lengths from the foam Herfeldt forms stretch past the shelves supporting them, sagging downwards below. Those twisted tubular forms swell till they rupture. Some creations break free from their transparent enclosures completely, turning into an attractor for dust and hair. Let's just say the ratings might not get favorable.

“I sometimes have an impression that objects are alive within a space,” remarks Herfeldt. Hence I started using this substance because it has such an organic texture and feeling.”

Certainly one can detect almost visceral about Herfeldt’s work, from that protruding shape jutting out, similar to a rupture, from the support at the exhibition's heart, or the gut-like spirals from the material that burst like medical emergencies. Displayed nearby, the artist presents images depicting the sculptures seen from various perspectives: appearing as squirming organisms seen in scientific samples, or formations on culture plates.

I am fascinated by is the idea within us taking place that also have a life of their own,” she says. Phenomena that are invisible or manage.”

Regarding unmanageable factors, the promotional image promoting the event includes a photograph showing a dripping roof in her own studio in Kreuzberg, Berlin. Constructed erected decades ago and, she says, was quickly despised among the community because a lot of old buildings got demolished to allow its construction. The place was run-down as the artist – a native of that city but grew up near Hamburg before arriving in Berlin as a teenager – moved in.

This decrepit property was frustrating for the artist – it was risky to display her pieces anxiously risk of ruin – but it was also intriguing. Lacking architectural drawings accessible, it was unclear how to repair the malfunctions which occurred. Once an overhead section at the artist's area became so sodden it collapsed entirely, the sole fix involved installing it with another – and so the cycle continued.

In a different area, she describes the water intrusion was severe that a series of collection units were installed above the false roof in order to redirect the water to a different sink.

It dawned on me that the building resembled an organism, a totally dysfunctional body,” Herfeldt states.

These conditions brought to mind the sci-fi movie, the director's first cinematic piece concerning a conscious ship that develops independence. As the exhibition's title suggests from the show’s title – three distinct names – more movies have inspired shaping this exhibition. The three names indicate the female protagonists in Friday 13th, the iconic thriller plus the sci-fi hit in that order. She mentions an academic paper written by Carol J Clover, that describes these surviving characters an original movie concept – protagonists by themselves to save the day.

These figures are somewhat masculine, on the silent side and she can survive because she’s quite clever,” the artist explains regarding this trope. They avoid substances or have sex. It is irrelevant the viewer’s gender, all empathize with this character.”

Herfeldt sees a parallel between these characters with her creations – things that are just about staying put under strain they’re under. So is her work focused on social breakdown rather than simply water damage? Similar to various systems, these materials intended to secure and shield us from damage are gradually failing around us.

“Absolutely,” she confirms.

Prior to discovering her medium using foam materials, the artist worked with other unusual materials. Recent shows included tongue-like shapes made from a synthetic material found in on a sleeping bag or inside a jacket. Once more, there's the impression such unusual creations might animate – some are concertinaed like caterpillars mid-crawl, some droop heavily from walls blocking passages gathering grime from contact (Herfeldt encourages viewers to touch and dirty her art). As with earlier creations, those fabric pieces are also housed in – leaving – cheap looking acrylic glass boxes. These are unattractive objects, and that's the essence.

“These works possess a particular style which makes one compelled by, while also they’re very disgusting,” the artist comments grinning. “It attempts to seem absent, yet in reality extremely obvious.”

Herfeldt's goal isn't art to provide relaxation or visual calm. Instead, she aims for discomfort, odd, or even humor. And if there's something wet dripping on your head as well, consider yourself this was foreshadowed.

Dennis Carter
Dennis Carter

Zkušený novinář se zaměřením na mezinárodní události a technologické trendy.