David Weiss
(1946 - 2012)
Peter Fischli
(1952)
Equilibres (A New Day Begins), 1984
Gelatin silver prints and chromogenic prints
30 x 40 cm
Throughout their collaboration, Fischli and Weiss explored creative ways to “waste” time, creating works out of leisure and existential boredom. This idea is expressed in their photographic series Equilibres (A Quiet Afternoon). To create these images, the artists stacked everyday objects (kitchen utensils, vegetables, tires, chairs, or shoes) in absurd configurations that defied gravity and often lasted only long enough to be documented by the camera. The feeling of impending collapse and the apparently random selection of objects undermine the careful composition that is often associated with the still life genre. Subsequently, each of these balancing acts received a unique title, turning them into family portraits, grandiose stories, and enigmatic scenarios.