Reconstruction (Red Hat)

Overview

Reconstruction (Red Hat) is a framed archival digital print with an attached wooden shelf featuring a and porcelain figurine of a woman wearing a read hat. The photograph depicts the figurine broken into bits, while the same piece stands next to the image in pristine condition. While the work simultaneously builds up and destroys the character of the inanimate object, it questions our perception of reality and proposes the possibility of a reversal of time: The figurine appears broken, but simultaneously that fact appears untrue.

Liliana Porter’s work often utilises toys and figurines that she finds in various flea markets and stores. Many of her photographs, which often feature groups of characters, suggest narratives and dialogues, and emphasise the human dimension of the figurines. As Porter states, 'I am interested in the simultaneity of humour and distress, banality and the possibility of meaning.'

Artist’s quotation from Provisions, Book 1, catalogue for Sharjah Biennial 9.

This project was part of Sharjah Biennial 9