Spoilage2: Narrating what remains at SALTS

Artists: Rosa Aiello, Mateusz Choróbski, Isabelle Cornaro, Jan Domicz, Daniel Koniusz, Piotr Łakomy, Sami Schlichting

Exhibition title: Spoilage2: Narrating what remains

Curated by: Wschód Gallery, Warsaw

Venue: SALTS, Birsfelden, Switzerland

Date: September 14 – October 5, 2019

Photography: Gunnar Meier Photography / Courtesy: SALTS & the Artists

What was here to be found was not a thing. Things separate from their stories have no meaning. They are only shapes. Of a certain size and colour. A certain weight. When their meaning has become lost to us they no longer have a name. The story on the other hand can never be lost from its place in the world for it is that place

Cormac McCarthy, The Crossing, 1994

Spoilage published in September 2018 was initially formed as an exhibition translated into publication – exhibition that never happened, which relates to works that do not form the final image, works that will never fully be finished, works that will never happen. Spoilage2:Narrating what remains introduces 7 site specific installations in the frame of the initial Spoilage publication project.

The architectural structure of the original Salts garage was calibrated to certain scales – 1:10, 1:9, 1:8, 1:7, 1:6, 1:5 (with the intention of keeping the scale 1:1) and transformed by artists into individual site specific interventions or installations, objects, scultpures. Piotr Łakomy’s Untitled WFS is a conversion of the sculpture Planet Bone Dome initially exhibited at The Sunday Painter (London) where two elements were adjusted to the scale 1:10 (umbrella) and 1:1 (ostrich egg) with the addition of his characteristic aluminium honeycombs. It reflects the part of his practice, which engages with human scale, and its relationship to objects and architecture. Isabelle Cornaro’s sprayed, coloured carpet (Golden Memories) and relief-based work (Organ Doors V) confined by the 1:5 scale of Salts cube create a surreal meditation towards the reconfiguration of everyday objects simultaneously embracing the form and formlessness. Rosa Aiello’s newly produced video 196 interiors is based on set of images spontaneously taken from the bus window in Alberta, Canada. Its constructed vague narration is composed of architecture and urban design of the suburban neighbourhoods. Located in the original Salts cube as a rear window projection can be viewed only from the outisde whereas the implemented sound is softly spreading inside the space. Jan Domicz Abholbox filling up half of the cube in the 1:9 scale echos the design of self suppporting warehouses. It adducts very systematic process of replication of very precise and appropriable architecture. Its deminished capacity turn the space into rickety warehouse. Untitled (slow) by Daniel Koniusz is a travesty of trashy garden’s fountains. Readymade object intentionally selected as the necessary element of a small -town patios and gardens was soflty altered by the artist by adjusting its format, structure, shape and turned into a sound object with a abrupt tone of splashing water extened to a four hour composition. Mateusz Choróbski’s 144150 is driven by his sculptural language, that is devoted to the process of experimentation with architectural elements of the given space, found objects, construction materials and those of everyday use such as glass, steel, copper. His whole cube in the scale 1:6 is made of the leftovers of brassy 1 cent polish coins. The title corresponds to the amonut used to produce the work. Ever changing love if you can by Sami Schlichting made out of unfired clay, hay and wood coincides with artist’s interests towards abstract forms, comical figures and grotesque architectural forms. His usual practice that materializes in realitvely large sculptures is limited to a model like objects calibrated to 1:7 scale.