How to Fit into the World

A Solid structure protects, supports but also limits the creature held within to the extent of almost suffocating it. On one hand this barrier may be meant to shield the vulnerable creature inside from the harsh and judgmental world outside, or instead serve as a protection to the outsider from the erratic and inappropriate being held within. Who needs protection more?

It is the fear of the unknown which has created this almost complete lack of communication between the outside world and the content held within these structures. I illustrate this psychological drama by juxtaposing the man-made mechanical aesthetic with a more organic and mysterious inner life.

If we feel too inappropriate or vulnerable to face the harsh world outside, how can we go about preparing ourselves to face up to such encounters? The following works illustrate an individual’s efforts to arm oneself for battle.

Study Chamber

View closed.

A helmet built to shut out the world during a process of intense study and development for an ignorant and therefore weak individual. This helmet features impenetrable steel walls thickly padded with wool. Instead of an opening, there is small room attached to it’s face, like a stage to display any object for study.

Materials: Steel, Wool, Filling 1995,
14 x 13 x 10″

Study Chamber

View open.

A helmet built to shut out the world during a process of intense study and development for an ignorant and therefore weak individual. This helmet features impenetrable steel walls thickly padded with wool. Instead of an opening, there is small room attached to it’s face, like a stage to display any object for study.

Materials: Steel, Wool, Filling 1995,
14 x 13 x 10″

Study Chamber

View inside.

A helmet built to shut out the world during a process of intense study and development for an ignorant and therefore weak individual. This helmet features impenetrable steel walls thickly padded with wool. Instead of an opening, there is small room attached to it’s face, like a stage to display any object for study.

Materials: Steel, Wool, Filling 1995,
14 x 13 x 10″

Study Chamber

View open.

A helmet built to shut out the world during a process of intense study and development for an ignorant and therefore weak individual. This helmet features impenetrable steel walls thickly padded with wool. Instead of an opening, there is small room attached to it’s face, like a stage to display any object for study.

Materials: Steel, Wool, Filling 1995,
14 x 13 x 10″

Jakob von Gunten

View closed.
This piece is inspired by the Swiss author Robert Walser’s book Jakob von Gunten. It describes a person who doesn’t trust his own instincts and thus surrenders all control over his life to an institution. The institution is a school for becoming lowly submissive servants, one learns to remain a small individual.

Jakob von Gunten was one of Franz Kafka’s favorite books. It certainly is mine too!
Materials: Steel, latex glass, 1996,
6 x 7 x 4″

Jakob von Gunten

View open.
This piece is inspired by the Swiss author Robert Walser’s book Jakob von Gunten. It describes a person who doesn’t trust his own instincts and thus surrenders all control over his life to an institution. The institution is a school for becoming lowly submissive servants, one learns to remain a small individual.

Jakob von Gunten was one of Franz Kafka’s favorite books. It certainly is mine too!
Materials: Steel, latex glass, 1996,
6 x 7 x 4″

Jakob von Gunten

Door open, figure down.
This piece is inspired by the Swiss author Robert Walser’s book Jakob von Gunten. It describes a person who doesn’t trust his own instincts and thus surrenders all control over his life to an institution. The institution is a school for becoming lowly submissive servants, one learns to remain a small individual.

Jakob von Gunten was one of Franz Kafka’s favorite books. It certainly is mine too!
Materials: Steel, latex glass, 1996,
6 x 7 x 4″

Jakob von Gunten

Door open, figure up.
This piece is inspired by the Swiss author Robert Walser’s book Jakob von Gunten. It describes a person who doesn’t trust his own instincts and thus surrenders all control over his life to an institution. The institution is a school for becoming lowly submissive servants, one learns to remain a small individual.

Jakob von Gunten was one of Franz Kafka’s favorite books. It certainly is mine too!
Materials: Steel, latex glass, 1996,
6 x 7 x 4″

Jakob von Gunten film clip

Film excerpt from the short documentary Eternal Moment by Simone Stammbach. 1998. The film features my earliest artworks which were all created with the use of the traditional metal smithing techniques I learned at Parsons School of Design.

Apparatus

This sculpture is inspired by Franz Kafka’s novel The Castle which describes the hopeless attempt of a protagonist in understanding the workings of a mysterious system of authority.

The box which is constructed of lead, the sound-less and toxic metal, houses a complex system of rotating gears made of wool felt.

Materials: Lead, wool felt, plexi glass, steel, motor, light fixture. 1997,
8 x 8 x 7”

Apparatus

Detail view

This sculpture is inspired by Franz Kafka’s novel The Castle which describes the hopeless attempt of a protagonist in understanding the workings of a mysterious system of authority.

The box which is constructed of lead, the sound-less and toxic metal, houses a complex system of rotating gears made of wool felt.

Materials: Lead, wool felt, plexi glass, steel, motor, light fixture. 1997,
8 x 8 x 7”

Apparatus

Detail view

This sculpture is inspired by Franz Kafka’s novel The Castle which describes the hopeless attempt of a protagonist in understanding the workings of a mysterious system of authority.

The box which is constructed of lead, the sound-less and toxic metal, houses a complex system of rotating gears made of wool felt.

Materials: Lead, wool felt, plexi glass, steel, motor, light fixture. 1997,
8 x 8 x 7”

Apparatus film clip

Film excerpt from the short documentary Eternal Moment by Simone Stammbach. 1998. The film features my earliest artworks which were all created with the use of the traditional metal smithing techniques I learned at Parsons School of Design.