Collection

The installation Untitled (2014) by Cathy Wilkes is an example of work in which the artist combines personal issues with reflection on the social and political problems of the contemporary world. The direct inspiration for the work was a photo found in a magazine, presenting a starving African family on travel. Wishing to reconstruct the scene of unhoming, the artist created a multi-element tableau composed of the objects found – dishes, place settings and tiny knick-knacks, plus handmade mannequins made of wool and old fabrics. Wilkes presents the figures in a vanitas scene, lying disorderly on the ground or standing, in grief, with their heads hung. All the elements make up an inseparable, intricately planned spatial situation, thus enhancing the power of the installation’s impact on the spectator.