ABOUT THE WORK

The Essential is invisible to the eyes.
Quote by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

This work beckons the question how essential art is. Drawing from Antoine’s quote, it further explains that what we normally find essential is often overlooked and neglected. Just like the beauty of art, or appreciating art.

The frame above, however functional, would not have be invented if not to for the sake of art. If the artwork is removed, you will see that what is left is an object that serves no purpose. Rendering the object non-essential. However, in the age of technology, all forms of artwork are repurposed, refined and integrated with technology, making art one of the most resilient entity to adapt to situations, just like society and humanity.

Now, to what extent is art important? The answer is simple. Art cannot exist without someone to make or create it. The maker is therefore someone who is affected by things around them. Society shapes art that they create, as much as art shapes our history. To proclaim that art is non-essential, is to ignore our life’s journey that values history, tradition and culture. Similar to the frame above, when we remove an integral cog within this ecosystem, we remove what is the most important part of ourselves that makes us human. That makes us connected with one another, that drives our emotions, provides us with love, aspiration and hope. Now picture that.

Ryf’s style of engineering his artwork enables a more immersive experience for his audience. His role in the arts tries to bridge the understanding of how technology functions within a society. That we are 'wired' and at the same time tangled with electronics and technology as they are 'physically' connected to our bodies. Our reliance may soon ensure our dependency on them, for every move and decision humanity takes. Using art as the driving tool in his work, he attempts to connect them to the emphatic and emotional aspect of society. And to create works that are infused with this technology, would enable it to be more current and relatable to the society we are in at this moment.