glithero's fantoom projects the transience of physical objects

glithero’s fantoom projects the transience of physical objects
image © designboom

the work of glithero is heavily focused on highlighting the instance in which an object comes into physical being, and the extended process in which it comes to fruition. for their presentation at the broelmuseum featured as part of the biennale interieur 2014 program, the london-based duo of sarah van gemeren and tim simpson decided to address the means of production in reverse — focusing on magnifying the speculative last moment when a product is finished and packed away.

the bust of godfried devreese stands as a ghostly image, its existence bringing uncertainty
photo by gerald van rafelghem

‘fantoom’ looks at analyzing the transience of the physical into nothingness, questioning our perception of how and when an object exists in a moment of time. it considers the act in which a painting is removed from a wall, and all that is left is a discolored imprint to indicate its previous existence; or when something that has been in our presence for a period of time and is then put away, but its virtues still remain intact.

image © designboom

with their exhibition, glithero questions ‘if the physical presence of a product is essential to its existence by giving form to this uncanny sensation‘ using the broelmuseum’s permanent collection to illustrate this. throughout the cultural institution, glithero has placed large crates to bring forth the idea of putting the precious pieces away, their physicality existing only as projections, bringing forth the dilemma and uncertainty of the broelmuseum’s archive to the public realm. ‘fantoom’ invites visitors to consider the intrinsic struggle of a museum collection, challenging one to contemplate the friction between permanence and transience, preservation and presentation, and depreciation versus maturation.

each piece of the collection on show is merely a projection of the physical
image © designboom

 commissioned by designregio kortrijk and the broelmuseum, ‘fantoom’ is on show until december 14, 2014.

full view of one ‘fantoom’ display
image © designboom

pieces from the broelmuseum’s collection exist in a moment of transience
photo by gerald van rafelghem

‘fantoom’ questions the importance of a physical object’s existence
photo by gerald van rafelghem

even when an object has been removed, its virtues remain intact…
photo by gerald van rafelghem

glithero questions whether or not the physical presence of an object is essential to its existence
photo by gerald van rafelghem

the installation highlights the moment in which an object is being packed away
photo by gerald van rafelghem

large crates stand as part of the installation display to further emphasize this notion of disappearance
photo by gerald van rafelghem