A visit to the Schinkel Pavillon is always worthwhile, but if you go on weekends between 15h and 18h you’re in for something extra special. It’s then that Anna Uddenberg’s alien-like sculptures come to life. Her works resemble all sorts of things: ergonomic child seats, trolley suitcases, a kind of fitness-cum-torture device, rattan garden furniture and a gynaecological chair. Presenting a sort of techno futurism, the exhibition is called Fake-Estate and is Uddenberg’s first institutional solo show. Unlike many works by the Swedish artist, you won’t find sculptures of women sprawled out in extreme poses here. The objects in this exhibition are made to be used – in this case by real people, namely athletic performers wearing white socks, Crocs and nappies. Who is using whom is an open question: the performer’s bodies are slotted into and at times trapped by the furniture, which is made of wicker-like 3D-printed plastic and stainless steel.
Objects which might function as prosthetic extensions of the body are used by Uddenberg to restrict it. If they have a function at all, it’s pleasure: the pleasure of loss of control, discomfort, bodily alienation, subjugation and modification. The exhibition combines object and material fetish with a sort of Balenciaga coolness and smatterings of philosophy from French ecological thinker Bruno Latour. Questions lead to other questions that are no more unanswerable than the last, leaving a pleasant yet unpleasant taste in your mouth.
Text: Irene Szankowsky / Photos: Frank Sperling/ Credit: Courtesy of the artist, Schinkel Pavillon & Kraupa-Tuskany Zeidler
Irene Szankowsky expresses herself with colors, images and words. Born in Vienna, she recommends books at Buchbund bookshop in Neukölln. Apparently she loves bubble tea, reality TV and theory.
Schinkel Pavillon, Oberwallstr.32, 10117 Berlin–Mitte; map
Anna Uddenberg, until 31.12.2022, Thu & Fri 14–19h, Sat & Sun 11–19h
