Those Wandering 1990

Ayse Erkmen made ‘Those Wandering’ out of wood, metal and wheels, and I can imagine her wheeling it all into place, making it mobile, giving it a life of its own. These wonky tables feel kind of provisional to me. The herringbone wood pattern on the table tops is so precise, while the metal legs and industrial wheels are clunky. They make me think of a studio space, where the artist might reconfigure their environment on a whim. I wonder if Erkmen was thinking about how we make places for ourselves? A wonky surface can be a space of freedom, allowing for things to be not quite aligned. It feels as if Erkmen is exploring painting by other means. There is a relationship to other artists, like Franz Erhard Walther, in that these sculptures imply human interaction to complete them. The artist gives us the components, but we decide how to use them.