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Nikos Papastergiadis has referred to the
'seductive materiality' of Constanze's works in this
exhibition. He speaks of Constanze’s use of the techniques and
materials of speedboat upholstery, such as vinyl and plastic, and in
particular
the use of a very alluring iridescent material. Nikos also draws some
connections between these and earlier works, seeing a continuity in
themes
'to do with colour and materiality which draw both from abstract
ideas about colour formations and also from pop ideas about materials.'
The strong use of single colours has been a distinctive aspect of his
practice, as in his earlier use of primary blocks of colour via screen
printing or stencil techniques. Nikos goes on to suggest that an essay
by Roland Barthes may provide insight into Constanze's use of
plastic in these works. Barthes highlights the reproducibility of objects
in plastic
– where the reproduction is not inferior to the original production
– a quality that is less melancholic in nature than utopian, in
the sense of a fantasy of endless life. The materials and techniques
of
dressmaking and fashion have also been important in Constanze's
work – Nikos notes that Constanze's studio has sometimes
been located in areas used by textile and clothing workers. In this
preoccupation
with fabrics and sewing, Nikos sees a layered range of meanings which
call up associations between the pleasures of high fashion and an underlying
strand of pain, or the frequently invoked dialectic between glamour and
death.
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Electrolashes II, 2003 under
preparation
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Jubilee, 1995
glomesh, velvet, fringing, zips, 300 x 280 cm |
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