Modern times Our „modern“ working environment

«A story about industry, individual enterprise, the crusade of people

in search of happiness» ( quote Chaplin)

The installations and pieces about our modern working environment and its requirements should encourage discussing, challenging and recognizing but as well smirking. The topics are often virtual and not tangible, metaphors, philosophies, theories or concepts. With mirrors in some pieces I used the doubling effect, the reverse reflection and the involvement of the observer. Some objects have a double meaning, are critical of society, not black or white. During my research for the piece “The small cog”, the scene from Charlie Chaplin’s 1936 movie Modern Times came into my mind when Chaplin, as the Tramp, was working at the conveyor belt. This scene shows a lot of topics which are absolutely contemporary. Chaplin saw his movie as “a satire on certain phases of our industrial life,” which matches my project and work. Chaplin showed in his movie the influence—and especially the disadvantages—of industrialization on human beings and on nature. With the loss of their jobs, people often immediately experience hunger and homelessness. Today, in many industrialized nations, too many people are being threatened by social descent and poverty resulting from job loss. But employed people in industrialized societies also often face serious work-related problems. With all the ever-expanding technical innovations, many workers are relentlessly driven by the motto “faster, higher, further.” Such demands too often lead to burnout, workplace bullying, existential fear, ongoing time pressures, expectations for nonstop availability, and constant stress. Regarding such problems, though, our “civilized” working environment does not reflect a learning curve in response to workers’ needs. Instead, workers are expected to see doctors and therapists for help with their work-related physical and psychological problems, and many workers resort to drug use in trying to cope with daily demands.

Mass unemployment of the worker bees

Working environment

Working environment

Corporate World 100x50cm

Glass casting on wood

Manager’s tasks and responsibilities

Human Being

Head count – count heads? 60 cm, Casting

Ressourcen, Full time equivalent,

Resources, FTE, consumables, cost factor,

assets, heads, ….

White and blue collar - HUMAN?

Working environment

Hidden agenda 40x150cm, Fusing, mirrors, print

Working environment

Restructuring

45 cm each, Fusing

Gentle…..men agree

Working environment

Gentle…..men agree Blown Roll up ca 17 cm, 60x60 cm

Work environment

To wash one’s hands of responsibility 50 cm, Casting, mirror 50x70 cm

Working environment

In God we trust 70x50 cm, glass print

Working environment

Va banque 70x70x30, Fusing,

Casting, mirror

Machinery

Working environment

Each small cog 200x200 cm Casting on steel, Steel cogs

Work environment

Flow of information 120x50cm lamp worked

Working environment

Communication Model Babel (450 cm, Fusing)

7 levels: Word, language, information, dialogue, listening, understanding,

meaning

HUMAN BEING Quote Einstein: workers are cattle

Quote Chaplin: masses are sheep

Human Being

Brain drain 25x15cm, Casting

Human being

Mobbing 80x60 cm

Casting on steel

Human being

Teamwork 300x130 cm

Casting, rope

Faster, higher, further

Human Being

Job ladder, / Diam. 40 cm, Casting,

steel stand

Human Being

Management by…. each 20x30 cm, Pate de verre on steel

Human Being

Jobs, drugs and alcohol Roll up, pate de verre,

1930 = nervous break down –

Today = Burn out

Human Being

Socrates’ cup of hemlock 12 cm, Pate de verre

Human being

Insider relationship 250x70x20 cm

Casting, rope, on steel

Human Being

Connections

ca. 100 cm, Casting, rope

Human Being

Network Trilogie

25/25/25 18/18/18 cm

Fusing

Human Being

Only half of the truth 3x100x70 cm, 6 heads casted, mirrors 50x70

VALUES

Values

Un-Protected Diam. 60x20 cm, 7 layers

casting

Values

Maslow’s headstand 35x35x30cm

Values

Whistleblower

Casting

Values

Gender in equality Casting, slumping

His ark

Values

Access code to the Ark 160x100cm

Values

Values – sacrifice

one in order to

achieve your goal

50x50x5 cm

Values

The 7th chakra – the

right to know that we

don’t know

Quote Sokrates:

I know that I don’t know

77 cm, Box casting

The journey is the reward