Carol May
During the IKT Congress 2024, delegates will have the exclusive opportunity to visit Gleis 70 artist studios and meet Carol May. Known for her sculptural and installation works, Carol explores contemporary identity and values, challenging idealised images and societal norms with humour and criticality. Through her art, she confronts society's fears and desires, often juxtaposing everyday objects in unconventional contexts to provoke thought. Fascinated by consumer culture, Carol employs irony to play with its conventions, as seen in her "Covers" series, where she mimics fashion magazine cover images with the fictional character Miss May.
Artist statement:
In my sculptural and installation works, as well as in the role of the fictional character Miss May, which was created in 2013, I celebrate the world of existence and appearance.
I deal with the identity and values of today and question ubiquitous ideal images. I take social and political issues to the extreme and deal with contradictions and taboos. Critically but humorously, my works reflect society, its fears, longings, and behavioral patterns.
With my objects I transform everyday objects or put them into an unfamiliar context. I'm attracted to the game of irritation. To break through the familiar, everyday and thus to create suggestions, to question prefabricated opinions and structures.
I am also interested in consumer culture and its strategic attractions. In ironic statements I play with their rules and show the viewer around with my dazzling works. In the work series Covers, for example, I imitate the cover pictures of well-known fashion magazines with the fictional character Miss May. But I'm not only interested in pictures that play a trick on our perception, I'm also interested in texts and slogans that aim emotionally at terms such as "glamour, longing and promise".
ABOUT GLEIS70
The Gueststudio Gleis70 is located in Zurich Altstetten in a former factory building in a industrial area. Artists, musicians, designers, inventors, composers, writers, graphic artists, dancers, filmmakers, and many more work in the Gleis70 Cooperative building. It is located right beside the tracks of the train Zürich-Bern/Basel and is easily accessible by public transportation.