Untitled

Exploring the ways we perceive and interact with objects, Annette Ruenzler’s sculptures and installations are often remakes, re-arrangements or replicas of daily items ranging from lighting fixtures to furniture and other domestic accessories. By altering the object’s functions and value, the artist challenges habits of perception and observation. Dealing with the transitional boundaries between absence and presence, the visible and the invisible, the material and the immaterial, her practice addresses the ephemeral quality of the everyday, and the assertive and domineering presence of objects.

Ruenzler’s installation "Untitled" uncovers the aesthetic qualities of utilitarian objects. The work consists of several types of drinking glasses of different designs and a pitcher. These glass vessels are placed on the floor and over each one hangs a light bulb from the ceiling. The light emanates through the glasses onto the floor, making the design elements of each cup visible through a play between light and shade. As the bulbs move with light breezes and the movements of the viewer, beams of light and shadows on the ground appear to come alive. Ruenzler’s work examines the meanings of function and design through both the visible and invisible qualities of everyday objects. The subtle movements of the shifting projections undermine the apparent authority of design by evoking ways in which everyday objects accommodate a variety of perspectives, each of which may summon a different reality, or even call multiple realities into being.