In my work I am mainly concerned with the overlap of synthetic and organic structures. Technically there is no uniform approach to this. The sculptures are often created through material studies. The design is based on the qualities of the materials on the one hand, and on the seemingly contradictory pair of opposites on the other. Accordingly, I often try to return artificial materials to organic forms or to integrate natural materials into artificial structures. I am interested in creating an aesthetics of reception that is complex and oscillates between artificial production and natural processes, micro and macro levels, permanence and decay. I supplement the sculptural works partly with collages that consist of research and visual material from journeys of exploration - most recently a 6-month bicycle trip through the Atacama Desert - that reveal chains of association.
In terms of content, all the works are about the ecological change that humanity is bringing about through industrialization, the transformation of raw materials and the continuous expansion of urban landscapes. This creates a fabricated world that pretends to be tailored to human needs but is not necessarily able to guarantee the longterm interaction between humans and the environment.
Artificial materials, from concrete to plastic, are increasingly integrated into natural transformation processes. I am interested in the question of whether and how nature, through its ability to adapt, will at some point be able to break down and integrate what the anthropocene leaves behind.
“Jörd" and "Del Polvo Vienes” are based on the appearance of modern highrise buildings with mirrored panes, which melt, bend and break up into complex layers. The reflecting substance of the outer facade continues within the structure and the supporting inner structure becomes visible, while parts of the substance take on an organic design that protrudes from the rigid pattern. The structure dissolves. What was previously considered a neoliberal symbol of power with the ability to facilitate considerable incision in its surroundings is transformed into a new indeterminable form.
Selou Sowe 2021
