arebours
The two objects for Spazio Pulpo were developed in the course of discussing the novel "À Rebours" by Joris Karl Huysmans.About the text:
Due to his aesthetic sense, the protagonist Des Essenties favors the artificial over the natural and puts the human mind, in particular his own mind, above primitive Nature. With his almost inexhaustible resources he starts to create his own ideal living space. An outstanding example of his radical approach is reflected in a scene, in which Des Esseintes strives to enhance a very precious carpet by using a turtle as decorative layer. When this measure proves insufficient, he covers the animal's shell with gold and jewels. The turtle eventually dies from the additional weight. At that time, however, the Lord is already busy with his next project...
The central motifs of the two developed objects thus follow the novel's central themes: The departure from Nature on the one hand, and social isolation caused by consumption and exclusivity on the other.
"Hoover", breadedEscalope for Spazio Pulpo, 2016
artiticial stone, velour, brass
With the object "Hoover", breadedEscalope quotes the vacuum cleaner as a cultural asset and turning point of society. With the arrival of this item in households in the second half of the twentieth century, the mass market gained access to a form of technicized efficiency that met with the emerging endeavor to overcome, domesticate and cultivate Nature. The sterile home thus reflects a form of social development that is inherently bound to the idea of progress. Antibiotics extend life, monoculture fills refrigerators, the entertainment industry tames the mind and patina gives way to calculable perfection. This transformation, fueled by design and consumer culture, captivates the mainstream until today. The role of the vacuum cleaner in the history of design illustrates the effect and validity of "styling" and trends in consumer society.
"Kajola" breadedEscalope for Spazio Pulpo, 2016
carbon fiber, helium
The second object stages the wheelbarrow as status symbol. In a contemporary context, it can be defined as an exaggerated product, as the "premium vehicle", that seems to promise the recovery of the notions of orgin and love of Nature. Thereby, it anticipates the development of a social self-understanding through the illustration of the paradoxical interplay of design and lifestyle. It explores the clichés around fitness, competition, quality of living and love of Nature.