In exile

Guda Koster’s work will immediately get the viewer in a cheerful mood. The clear-cut shapes and patterns in bright off-colours seem to combine naturally in the set-ups with glimpses or suggestions of essential body-parts like legs or arms and the clearly not visible head. In fact, one enters quite effortlessly and without much ado into Koster’s perfect make-believe world in which textiles act as would-be living tissue interacting with seemingly lifelike human props – or are we witness here of textile props neatly covering up living human dolls whilst pretending to be a still life?  

Most of her works show somewhat uncomfortable poses captured in perfect timing with a touch of light and at times dark humour yet always radiating in animated and colourful glee. But still, what makes us merry makes us wonder. ‘

For although Koster’s ‘Wonderland’ amuses & delights us with its crystal clear, keenly devised ‘tableaux vivants’ of today, the scenes itself also bemuse & confuse us especially by what is missing … for essential body parts are left out, physical defects suggested, personae concealed, social discomfort covered up.