Overview
This recording was created for Te Papa’s in-gallery audio tour.
Transcript:
Justine Olsen
The domestic installation you see in front of you, Gesamtkunsthandwerk, reflects the haphazard nature of the way we live: objects arranged casually as the changing ritual of daily living leaves its mark.
The work also represents many interesting ideas. Its title was given by the three collaborating artists and makers: sculptor Francis Upritchard, furniture maker Martino Gamper, and jeweller Karl Fritsch.
In its original form, the word ‘Gesamtkunstwerk’ refers to the German idea of the ‘total art work’, where art and design contribute to a complete artistic experience.
This installation, however, focuses on the handmade nature of all the objects. The makers experimented with different media and reused items. Bronze, Formica, and a drawer are repurposed for new applications.
Therefore, through the spirit of collaboration, one main idea is developed separately and yet together. Take Gingerbronze, for instance. If you’d like to look closer, swipe the screen to zoom into the image of this work.
This large and knobbly bronze resting on the table was created by all three makers. But we don’t see where one finished and another began. Such a seamless way of working challenges the traditional separation between artists and craftspeople.
Three individuals from different disciplines share the making of domestic objects for daily life. Can you imagine yourself making such an interior?