Christel Dillbohner
Germany, active United States
b. 1956

when ready to open, pull here, 1993
2 1/2 x 12 x 7 1/2 in.
Wax, paper, tar, photographs, felt, found objects
Sweeney Art Gallery Permanent Collection
Gift of the artist
95.1.1

Detail

For this multi-media piece, German-born, Los Angeles-based artist Christel Dillbohner used worn-out and discarded machine parts, tools and other remnants of the aerospace industry purchased at the Lockhead salvage yard in Burbank, California. By taking these objects out of their traditional context and transforming them artistically, they are afforded new, and perhaps, surprising meaning. According to Dillbohner, "The purpose is to convert this war machinery refuse into new metaphors that call into question past perceptions of the world order and offer new, more positive insights."

© UC Regents and the artist.