„seven spaces“

Excerpt of an interview with Naomi Gregoris:

Space within space within space within space: Wiederkehr's tent installation at Regionale 2014, Basel

"Humans always want to conquer nature, and to do so they must equip themselves with protective coverings such as clothing and tents. They must create spaces that separate them from nature on the one hand, but connect them to it on the other.

 We build protective spaces, not only physical ones, but also mental ones, to create an awareness of what is happening around us." It is precisely these spaces that the artist explores in her work. By ‘spaces’ she means not only chamber-like structures, but something that happens when a person interacts with their environment: ‘As soon as we meet, an ephemeral space is created.’ Wiederkehr points to her water glass and coffee. ‘The two of us here create a space for a short time, and when I have to catch the train back to Zurich, we dissolve that space.’ 

These spaces can also be described as omnipresent moments that are constantly being constructed and dismantled, that one enters and slips out of again. They can be subtle and ephemeral, fleeting like our encounter, or explicit – like the orange tents or high-tech sleeping bags that Wiederkehr repeatedly uses for performances and installations.

Made from materials used to protect oneself from nature while trying to get as close to it as possible. And in doing so, one must realise again and again that the space between two entities will never completely dissolve. One can only try to make it as tangible as possible.