"From Object to Ornament" is a two part exhibition that explores the relation between everyday objects and aesthetic and formal imagery. At the most basic level, an object is a physical item that serves a specific function or purpose. An ornament however, is seen as a decorative feature added to an object to enhance its aesthetic value. An ornament can take various forms, like intricate patterns, figurative representations or abstract geometric figures. While some artists explore the ornamental qualities of everyday objects, others repurpose their forms through the addition of decorative elements, colors, or shapes.

The second part of the exhibition features two positions:

Not Vital has collaborated with Edition VFO for the fifth time, creating for the 75th anniversary of the association a new portfolio titled "DI & NOT," which means day and night in Rumantsch, the artist’s native language. The portfolio features 10 of Vital's architectural illustrations as photo-etchings, either in white on black or in black on white. Through his work, Vital challenges traditional notions of buildings and prompts fundamental questions about architecture and its relationship with the environment. Vital’s artistic license allows him to push the boundaries of conventional building design and create radical interpretations of architectural structures, blurring the line between art and architecture, as well as between essence and ornament.

In contrast to Vital's strongly architectural works, Sonia Kacem's new series of lithographs explore the natural forms and architectural shapes she encountered while in Egypt during a six-month residency in 2019. Kacem's creative process involves the layering of different colored patterns using lithography, resulting in a series of small edition prints due to the multiple printing combinations. Kacem’s use of abstraction, repetition, and spontaneous gesture produces patterns that are not mere reproductions, but rather seek to create something new at the core of the pattern. Kacem's new work seeks to produce something untenable walking the fine line between ornament and pure abstraction.

The second part of the showcase will open during Zurich Art Weekend on June 9th and will be on show from June 10th through October 7th.

For more information or images please contact David Khalat at info@edition-vfo.ch.