Maybe You Can Be One of Us

The works of Swiss artist Daniele Buetti (*1956) possess a strange ambivalence. Initially, it often pains us to see the fruits of his artistic labors: photographs of perfectly beautiful supermodels have been branded, tattooed, and scratched—some have even had holes punched through them. However, it is fascinating to witness how the attractiveness and glamour—essentially socially determined classifications—of these women and men always seem to get the last word, securing a lasting impression on the mind of the viewer.

Maybe You Can Be One of Us focuses on Buetti’s recent drawings, videos, sculptures, and installations. They are an expression of world-weariness, and represent a sign of our times, focusing on the individual’s precarious existential orientation. The grotesque elements of his works are eminently oppressive, triggering archetypal fears of the abnormal, and evoking associations of violence and destruction.