Artspace

BED/SIT

Ronnie Van Hout

Exhibition Dates
4 April - 26 April 2008

Overview

When does the familiar become the unfamiliar? What exactly happens to an object that in one state is mundane and ordinary yet another state becomes strange and extraordinary? A small collection of furniture can have many meanings in a multitude of situations (shop floor, house, office, or hard rubbish pile).

The ‘furniture' represented in BED/SIT is fake furniture. It is also more than fake - it is double fake. What could be perceived as a representation of simple furniture is also a superficial copy of an artwork by American artist Robert Morris. Morris's work Hearing from 1972 comprised furniture-like objects constructed from metal in a minimalist style. They were also wired to 32 volts, emphasising their status as sculpture, not furniture.

In BED/SIT, the ‘furniture' sat on a platform like a set for a play or cheap television production. These would-be props waiting for actors to decide if they are part of a comedy or a tragedy.