This installation exists in two versions: In India, it was shown with the objects on the sockets and the writing opposing them. In Switzerland, the objects were arranged seperatedly from the sockets.
Writing:
Nailpolish IN / Adhesive foil CH, 40 x 80 cm
Legends:
Paper on carton, 7 x 1 cm max.
Sockets:
Ordered work, confected by carpenter out of teakwood, 6000 INR / 130 CHF, 20 x 25 x 3 cm max.
Sculptures:
20 objects, created by things found and consumed by or donated and lent to the artist during her stay in Varanasi. 18 x 23 x 27 cm max.
About:
The Value of Work queries in what way prices for artworks are legitimated.
20 miniature sculptures, whose form and matter refer to Indian daily culture, were crafted out of worthless items. The outlines of their ground views were given to an Indian carpenter in the form of paper cuts. He was given the order to create sockets accordingly, whereas he was completely free in his realization.
Titles:
1. Cheery Parrot 2. Pop 4. Strength 3. Housework (sold for 450 CHF) 5. Missing God 6. Splash Of Flowers 7. Tara 8. Nest For Lingam 9. Pooja 10. Family Shrine 11. Enchanted Heart 12. Ordinary Shakti 13. Broken Fruit 14. Broom God 15. Spoon Of Fun (sold for 300 CHF) 16. Good Luck 17. Sati Without Hands 18. Shanti For The Poor 19. Inversed Fool 20. Woman Figure
Artist‘s statement for the exhibition in Varanasi IN:
During my stay in Varanasi a lot of things seem strange to me, especially how people practise religion appeals surprisingly devoted, passionate and lively. As I don’t care for any God I try to practise values that are important to me. Mostly, I practise them by creating Art, which is both profane and sacred to me. This unifying processus of habit, insight and concentration happens in practising religion here. It is very common to people and they valuate it highly. It is integrated in their daily life and performed with the help of simple things.
The value of these things is of a spiritual nature, as the things themselves are ephemeral and affordable for everyone. Religion in Varanasi comes along with a lot of „profane“ stuff full of meanings. Sugar, flowers, candles, smoke, pots and even drugs are part of a religious practice. Art in a way doesn’t need to be so different, sometimes the actual work is almost cheap, but all of this doesn’t say anything about the artistic value, which can be ridiculously high. Also, art itself has no purpose, no use in itself. I think in these points it is somewhat similar to religion. In order to formulate these reflections as questions addressing an audience acquainted with the religious practices but maybe not with western art and/or vice versa, I create artistic objects in a way that brings me closer to practicing religious rites and pushes me away from the actual production of art itself.
What I wanted to explore in realising this project concerns the relation of the value of things on a materialistic level on one hand and their value on a spiritual/artistic level on the other hand. It is a way for me to question both my fascination for the fetishes people have in religion and art. In doing so I’m utterly interested in how values are perceivable at all.