NEW USED OBJECTS exhibition at Hilde Leiss Gallery, Hamburg, Germany. 7.11- 28.12.2024

What makes an object last for many years? Good design, good materials and craftsmanship, giving it context and uniqueness so that it becomes a work of art, or perhaps simple family sentiment or the fashion for 'used'?

The life span of objects has shortened considerably - modern sideboards are unlikely to be handed down to the grandchildren any more. Works of art and the best craftsmanship are in a privileged position, they are good investments of capital and bring handsome profits, the higher the profits the longer the object has been "used" in the circulation of collectors. Everyday objects are virtually worthless.

"Recycling" or "reuse" are media echoes, synonyms for a pure first-world conscience. In the developing world, by contrast, "reuse" is an everyday necessity. Meanwhile, in the European garden, a set of furniture made from car tyres is seen as kitsch. After all: "I'm a specialist in my field, I want good new stuff - I've earned it".

Is a cultural change possible? Is it possible to change the perception of WHAT gives satisfaction of ownership? Can reprocessing second-hand things and giving them a new form and function be the future of craftsmanship, at a time when competition between craftsmen and makers and corporations is becoming increasingly difficult or perhaps impossible?