This exhibition by New Zealand artist Fiona Connor features 23 bronze sculptures replicating everyday tools used in exhibition setup, such as measuring tapes and pencils. The works explore themes of labor, maintenance, and the ambiguity between manual and industrial production.
The exhibition '#8, Closed for Installation, Sequence of Events' by New Zealand artist Fiona Connor delves into the often-unseen objects and structures of daily life, specifically focusing on the tools used in the installation of exhibitions. Connor's practice involves creating sculptural replicas of everyday items like measuring tapes, pencils, and assembly carts, cast in bronze. These works highlight the meticulous labor and maintenance involved in presenting art, blurring the lines between handcraft and industrial production. Connor's pieces are often site-specific, responding to the infrastructure of their exhibition venues and prompting reflection on how our interactions with art are shaped. The exhibition also includes projects realized outside the Secession, such as a recreated notice board in a residential building and a permanent door exchange with a residence in Los Angeles, further exploring themes of connection, exchange, and the domestic sphere.
Connor's artistic process involves a deep curiosity into how objects are made, combining careful observation and documentation with diverse casting techniques. She aims to obscure the distinction between handmade and mass-produced items, and is interested in how external factors like weathering and wear can alter an object's perception. The repetition of the exhibition setup process, and the unique routines that make each show distinct, are central to her work. The selection of bronze for these tools is significant, imbuing the utilitarian objects with a sense of permanence and artistic weight, while simultaneously referencing the history of sculpture.