Natasja de Wet
11 - 30 October 2020

Ordinary objects have a hidden life that is not aparent when found in their natural and original context. When these objects have reached their expiry date, their shelf life has come to an end, or are destined for the scrap metal yard; a new or previously unnoticed meaning can be revealed by transforming it into an object d'art.

By altering the appearance and adding elements to objects, I challenge the institutionalized perceptions about them. I reveal new meaning by concealing the original meaning.

Through tracing and documenting the history relating to found objects, such as domestic furniture and general appliances, I attempt to draw analogies and parallels between the original use of objects and their current state. For example heaped mattresses marked "condemned" at a Psychiatric Hospital could tell the silent tale of hundreds of souls "condemned" by society. What once gave warmth and comfort seem to reflect society's neglect and the discomfort felt about facing such responsibility and even guilt about the avoidance thereof. An object could have multiple meaning/ a mattress for instance. When you remove one element of the whole you can change the character of the remaining parts of an object. Whereas the springs give support and comfort to the sleeper, it becomes a base of pain and discomfort when the cover is removed.

Irony will also appear strongly in my work. By using a burnt out or scorched heater new meaning is given to the energy that is the basis of its existence; that what gave the heater life caused its death.

The found objects, to be manipulated as works of art in their own right, will also be the inspiration, theme and source for mixed media artworks. It will consist of photographs and drawings.

Transformed (chair) (detail), 2003/4. Found object & mixed media, 55 X 55,5 X 95cm
Keyboard (detail) 2004. Found objects & mixed media, 125,8 X 278,4cm