Superposition at Duve Berlin, 2009
The title of the show, *Superposition*, draws on two
aspects that connect the work of both artists: the magic
of light and a fascination with artificially constructed
environments and systems. Nathaniel Rackowe's artistic
practice is inspired by a strong interest in urban space
and the disparate ways of how we exist in and navigate
through the network of streets and buildings we encounter
in our every day lives. His works present us with what
seem to be two different realities: industrial materials
such as stone, steel and wood are ultra-realistic,
massive, and aggressive. Meanwhile, the artificial light
that usually moves around the objects, suggest a mobility
and lightness to the point of dissolution. At times,
Rackowe's sculptures seem to be striving to escape their
static state or to remind us of our own transience.
Although the overriding tone of these works is abrasive,
Rackowe points out that they also “chase the
hopelessly romantic effort to distil those fleeting
moments of beauty, those moments when elements are
perfectly aligned, which we might call
superposition”.