Untenable

The work Untenable surprises in many ways. Asphalt concrete and forest timber form a stark contrast. The construction itself seems clumsy, indeed untenable. For Cecilia Jansson, this is a conscious device to challenge our preconceived notions about materials. Different materials have different languages, she says, and she wants to get them to say something new. From materials that can be perceived as being in the wrong context, she creates the monument Untenable. The title connects to a feeling many people have. The work also has a time limit because timber rots.

Jansson takes inspiration from posthumanism, which questions the notion that humans think they can set themselves above nature. The work offers perspective on humans’ fumbling attempts to create sustainable development.