Composition of a Counterpart
Una Szeemann, 2018
HeK (Haus der elektronischen Künste), Basel
To create the 3D printed sculptures for the exhibition Future Love. Desire and Kinship in Hypernature, Una Szeemann has delved into the mechanics of online dating, a practice that she was hitherto not accustomed to. On these online platforms, the user is asked to select from a series of adjectives describing their ideal lover. The artist concentrated on each of the selected words while performing autohypnosis, a practice that she has used in her previous works, to eventually visualize and meld abstract shapes inspired by the user profile adjectives. To further illustrate the artificiality and coldness of online dating, she then decided to have the sculptures printed in 3D, allowing small mechanical errors to further alter the shapes. With this process the artist reveals the absurdity of pursuing an ideal partner on the basis of desired characteristics.
Boris Magrini
Installation view at HeK Basel (Photographs: © IDD144|Photo)
Composition of a Counterpart - Intelligent
Composition of a Counterpart - Friendship
Composition of a Counterpart - Knowledgeable
Composition of a Counterpart - Erotic
Composition of a Counterpart - Energetic