(The sculpture "Arrangement No.6" of this project was selected as a finalist for the 18th Arte Laguna Prize.)
Some objects possess a particular characteristic: when arranged, they create a pattern. "Household Order" is a series of structures built with a simple, yet durable household object: clothes hangers. Arranging them in various ways, while using a sole pattern, the object acquires a materiality that can be both rigid and organic.
To build all the pieces of the project, the artist collected plastic clothes hangers that she was no longer using from her house and asked friends, family, and acquaintances to do the same. The outcome was a collection of over 500 hangers that the artist started arranging and attaching in groups of 4. The initial square-like, flat-surfaced shape they took, was later translated into a cube and other volumes that allowed her to stack various hangers and create a structure that could be modified freely. This simple construction acts as a hint of the unending possibilities of a unique composition that is almost natural to the object, a pattern that allows a hanger to fit with another. Despite their rigid appearance, they also enable the construction of visually flexible arrangements through actions such as folding and wrapping. The resulting pattern drew thought from from Colombian houses and the iron fences and structures that protect front lawns and windows.
The work reflects on our everyday objects and their industrial or serial character. It invites to re-think how we use plastic-based items.
