Rivane Neuenschwander

In Commonplace 1999, talcum powder is brushed into rectangular shapes on the floor, resembling delicate white paintings. Commonplace is remade according to Neuenschwander’s instructions every time it is exhibited. Composed entirely of talcum powder, it is extremely fragile. A broom was used to gather the talcum into circular shapes within the rectangles. This has left streaks in the powder. These traces suggest the artist is treating the powder like a kind of paint and the broom as a brush. Most of Neuenschwander’s installations and videos use ordinary and perishable materials. In her works, simple gestures turn the stuff of everyday life into something unfamiliar and poetic. Sometimes her artworks move and change over time, or include elements that the public can take away or modify.