Title : Intruders
Year of production : 2024
Materials : Ceramics
Dimensions : Variable
Description
The Intruders are an examination of negative emotional states, compulsive, fear-filled thoughts that preoccupy me, as well as the desire to liberate myself from them. Intrusive thoughts feel like a constant sense of self-alienation, as if the brutal mental images originate not from oneself but are an alien power that has gained access to one’s inner domain. This raises questions about what an unwanted thought would look like — one that poisons the inner life with aggressiveness and vehemence, triggers fears, and colors or suppresses other thoughts.
In my work, settled in a technically evolved parallel world, these monstrous intruders become fictional organs, surgically removed from the brain in the hope that they will not grow back. They are placed on an operating table on display, creating a tangible encounter with one’s own thoughts in the present moment. This fictional thought experiment invites viewers to meet these intruders with new curiosity: can they be deciphered, or do they remain strangely alien and unapproachable?
The Intruders embody my inner monsters, giving tangible form to otherwise unseen forces that can feel both intimate and estranging. The organic appearance of the natural material clay contrasts with the cold, artificial aesthetics of the operating table, which hints at human vulnerability.
Artist Statement
In my work, I explore the facets of inner- and interpersonal relationships through conceptual art, installation and painting. A characteristic of my artistic practice is engaging with aspects of political and cultural topics where, through societal communication processes, the individual with their personal facets becomes visible.
The seriousness of many of the topics I examine is sometimes contrasted with an absurd and self-ironic perspective. Often, my artistic work deals with mental states and sensations, fragments of thoughts, as well as changes in perception or the transition from one mental state to another. In doing so, I often utilize recurring images and objects, which I explore using different materials and approaches.