Mai-Thu Perret

As one of the young generation of artists weaving melancholy, satirical but also optimistic stories around the visions and shapes of twentieth-century avant-garde movements, Mai-Thu Perret (1976, Geneva) is an exceptional talent. Her texts are a mixture of historical fact and fiction. In her sculptures and objects, she parodies the history of lofty ideals employing a matter-of-fact 'I can do that too' aesthetic. Using papier-mâché figures, ceramic wall reliefs and handmade flags, Perret improvises on classic modernist themes, systematically going beyond the dividing lines between consumer, decorative and autonomous objects. In her exhibition Land of Crystal, Perret visualises that conceptual thinking and the strategy of claiming existing images does not rule out craftsmanship or a sincere conviction in the magic effect of sculpture. (Bonnefantenmuseum)