Petra Scheibe Teplitz’s works are instantly recognizable. Although each of her projects employs different materials, colors, and forms, certain elements run through her body of work as a constant: First, the reuse of everyday materials—most of which are considered inferior because they are waste or byproducts. Second, she disguises these elements, so that they are often only indirectly recognizable. Third, working in series on an idea, a material, or a theme. Fourth, repetitive manual work.
Numbers Three and Four give the exhibition its name. Day In Day Out. Repetition. Consistency. Boredom. Routine. Discipline. Reliability. Everyday life. Habit. Continuity. Endurance. Perseverance. The daily grind. Monotony. Routine. Rhythm. All these associations and more can be linked to this phrase. Depending on one’s perspective, these have either negative or positive connotations – often depending on a specific stage in life or zeitgeist. Mehr...
Routines as a reflection of the times
In recent years, all forms of routine have become extremely popular—they’re just as prevalent on relevant social media platforms as they are in lifestyle magazines or among friends. Without a regular exercise routine, journaling, habit tracking, self-care moments, or “dopamine menus,” life no longer seems manageable. The goal here isn’t self-optimization, but rather a more fulfilling life.
Routine as a process
So if routines are the new trend, Petra Scheibe Teplitz has been trendy for decades. Many of her works arise from a routine practice that consists of repeatedly carrying out similar workflows and processes for a single artwork—or a series—sometimes over the course of years. This intensive engagement with a theme and a material leads to a kind of long-term experiment in which the artist explores, through small variations, what is possible.
Material with potential
How do mundane materials get transformed into works of art? The short answer: curiosity, i.e. paying attention to everyday objects. The artist sees the potential in things. In this exhibition, this can be discovered in every artwork. Target paper, parking discs, phone books, sewing patterns, plastic inserts from packaging, newspapers, tobacco tins, tissue packaging, and, last but not least, wax. Some of the materials are transformed in a way that they are barely recognizable. This is the core of Petra Scheibe Teplitz’s work: she recognizes the potential of materials—with the side effect that it becomes difficult to throw away an empty box of chocolates.
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