MEMBRANE OF THE NEW

2024 / ongoing archive
photograms (analog photo series)
modular shopwall
video projection
miniature Monobloc chairs

All the packaging around the „new“ object exists to obscure the fact that the object has already been „used“ in the process of becoming a commodity.

– (In Praise of Copying, Marcus Boon, 2013 p. 229) 

"Membrane of the new" shows a series of analog photograms in which the translucent plastic packaging of toys is used to expose the photographic paper instead of a conventional negative.
This synthetic sheath, crafted from polymers extracted from fossil fuels, has seamlessly integrated into our daily existence, shrouding commodities and consumables in a cloak of convenience and preservation. It drapes over goods like a translucent veil, promising freshness, purity, and the untouched. It embodies the paradox of progress and pollution and epitomizes innovation in its ability to extend shelf life, enhance product safety, and facilitate global trade.
Over 85% of all toys in the world are Made in China nowadays.
The vacuum-sealed plastic wrapping, captured in its ghostly imprint on the photo paper, serves as a tangible manifestation of this paradoxical allure. An attempt to capture and archive the membrane of the so called „new“. Thus, each individual print is unique, despite originating from mass-produced exposure templates. The size and name of each print are based on the original packaging of the respective toys. Resulting in titles such as "Space Race Adventure", "Robot Forces", "Far Far West" or "World and Fun", which refer to complex global contexts in a miniature-like way.


The VHS footage, presented within a miniature screening accompanied by two minature monobloc chairs, offers a glimpse into one of my grandfather's trips to China during the 1990s. It seamlessly combines scenes of him delivering a speech on the Great Wall, discussing China's economic growth, with his visit to Beijing World Park, a miniature world park, featuring scaled-down replicas of iconic landmarks from around the world. Notably, my grandfather's connection to China extended beyond leisure exploration. As a shuttle trader for over 13 years, he specialized in importing toys, stuffed animals, and counterfeit brand-name clothing from China.