Residency Gepard 14; 2013; Switzerland
by
Artgerechte Plüschtierhaltung
The title for this residency translates in English as ‘humanely soft toy animal keeping’ and plays on the double meaning of ‘artgerecht’ as something that is ‘right art’ but is also an expression for the correct way to keep an animal. The project I realized in Gepard14 evolved from the experience that, once we have reached adulthood, favourite cuddly toys from childhood are often condemned to an existence in limbo. No longer appropriate to share our bed but still too precious and emotionally charged to be thrown away, they mostly end up in a box on the attic.
Involving the local community I invited the wider public by offering my services as an artist to transform their childhood soft toy into a work of art which would allow them to re-integrate it into adult life.
The residency culminated in an exhibition which not only displayed the resulting art works but also the stories which people shared with me about their childhood memories of their cuddly toy.
