Cutlery Clattered to the Floor as Something Stirred in the Kitchen

Last year I made this sculptural duo for the 2012 graduation show held by my then fellow 3rd year artists at the University of Wollongong. When I embarked on this project, finally managing to order a huge plate of impossibly heavy mild steel and have it delivered to the uni on an enormous truck, I hadn’t much clue of what I was in for… After months of grinding, measuring, cutting with an oxy-torch, welding, carving a log for a handle, varnishing, making mistakes, learning and re-doing things, and cajoling parades of people to help me carry them about – I had developed some pretty impressive muscles! ..aaand a couple of massive, intimidating kitchen utensils.

Desiree Tahiri,
Cutlery Clattered to the Floor as something Stirred in the Kitchen, 2012
mild steel and wood
23 x 415 x 85 cm (spatula)
262 x 94 x 94 cm (potato masher)
photo credit: Tom Williams

Here’s a bit about them:

Once used in the kitchen, the manipulated and distorted objects destabilise and parody zones of comfort. The spatula and potato masher are hand-constructed on a monstrous scale and loom ominously within the space. Are they mere housewives’ instruments or domestic symbols in the visual discourse of a Western patriarchal society? Meanings, ideologies and expectations that may have been attached to these objects are distorted through their overwhelming size; together they threaten and contest one’s position of power. These utensils are embedded with memory and emotions and bear marks that insinuate last week’s fiery argument over the dinner table and other such mundane events.

Desiree Tahiri,
Cutlery Clattered to the Floor as something Stirred in the Kitchen, 2012
mild steel and wood
262 x 94 x 94 cm (potato masher)
photo credit: Tom Williams

Desiree Tahiri,
Cutlery Clattered to the Floor as something Stirred in the Kitchen, 2012
mild steel
23 x 415 x 85 cm (spatula)
photo credit: Tom Williams

Hatched 2013 at Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts

The objects ended up being selected, along with works by 2 other UOW student artists, to be sent to Perth for the annual National Graduate Show Hatched at the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA), which occurred earlier this year. We excitedly attended the opening night joined by over 2000 in Perth and engaged with the other 34 graduate artists – from all corners of Australia – and their interesting and very diverse works. Hatched curator Tim Carter and assistant curator Leigh Robb were very gracious and the gallery space was delightful. We had a blast!

UOW Hatched artists Gillian Dinh, Jaqueline McLeish and myself on opening night

Me next to my work…

Desiree Tahiri,
Cutlery Clattered to the Floor as something Stirred in the Kitchen, 2012
(installation view at PICA)
mild steel and wood
23 x 415 x 85 cm (spatula)
262 x 94 x 94 cm (potato masher)
photo credit: Tony Nathan

Some info on Hatched, from PICA’s website

Hatched  // 20th April – 9th June 2013

“PICA’s ever-popular Hatched returns in 2013 for its 22nd edition. Continuing to be the only national survey of its kind, this year’s Hatched features 37 artists from 20 art schools across Australia. A total of 90 students were considered for selection by a panel comprised of MCA Curator Glenn Barkley; Independent Curator Isabel Ching; Artist and OK Gallery Director Andrew Varano; PICA Curator Leigh Robb and PICA Special Projects Curator Tim Carter.

Musing on the zeitgeist of today, Hatched 2013 highlights popular and recurring trends in contemporary art while representing a broad cross-section of practices ranging from painting, drawing, print, photography and sculpture to performance, installation, sound and the moving image. This year the Hatched artists emerge with toolkits packed with irony, pastiche and parody as they return to analogue methodologies and embrace the hand of the artist. They adopt the roles of historians, archivists and quasi-scientists by collecting and indexing data to understand the worlds they inhabit. The role of the art object is also placed under critique with artists using their work to intervene in the public sphere. In a significant trend, artists also reflect on the effect of the internet and today’s digital reign over forms of communication. ”

Outside of PICA!

Some Upcoming Plans…

Now that the sculptures have been safely returned to UOW, peacefully residing beneath a staircase and hopefully not tripping up too many unsuspecting victims, a talented fellow artist and myself are combining our skills and planning a short, playful film/animation featuring the objects and two (rather goofy) characters (us!).                                                 Stay tuned!

p.s. This work is for sale – send me a message if interested!