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Those who focus solely on perfection and believe that only the successful count are mistaken. Because whatever you tackle or design: Mistakes are made, misunderstandings creep in, mishaps happen and things are unexpectedly damaged. As a result, some things change and much remains unfinished or provisional. Such imperfections are a permanent feature of our lives and we learn to deal with them. Imperfection and its consequences are also present in a variety of ways in design processes and productions – from ruinous production errors or failed construction projects to blemishes that suddenly turn a mass-produced item into a valuable one-off.
In the exhibition „Perfectly Imperfect“ from 24 November to 12 May 2024, the Gewerbemuseum Winterthur will, according to the announcement, “explore the tension between perfection and deviation and address the qualities of the supposedly flawed, the significance of the unfinished, the patina of the ephemeral or the art of repair”. By changing the perspective, the show is critically dedicated to “a striving for quality that cannot be fulfilled or is deliberately and creatively undermined”. Whether mistakes only appear to occur, prompt a shift in thinking or prove to have serious consequences, in our immediate living environment as well as in design processes, “the balance between a necessary or supposed demand for perfection and dealing with apparent or serious mistakes turns out to be complex”. This gives rise to far-reaching questions: When is something even perfect? What is the value of apparent shortcomings?
Whether wrong decisions are made, careless actions are taken, construction errors and technical defects occur or the stubbornness of materials or their wear and tear and transience have an effect – there are many reasons why something is not perfect. Using projects by Maarten Baas, Jörg Boner, Hans Coray, Sandra Danicke, Enzo Mari, Meyers & Fügmann, Eloa – Unique Lights and Empa, the show aims to demonstrate the extent to which the consequences of flaws, imperfections and defects can have damaging or positive effects. The focus is on the deviation from the ideal and the aim is to question “how the damaged can be caught or repaired, how reused material resources can lead to new solutions or how failure and playing with chance can open up new paths”.
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