When I step into the room, the dazzle of Swarovski crystals dance in front of my eyes, reflecting little beams of light around the room, twinkling away. In Memory and Metamorphosis, French artist and jewellery designer Shourouk Rhaiem bedazzles everything from a Tide detergent cardboard box to soy sauce bottles, taking mundane everyday objects and transforming them into extravagant objects of value. Her first solo exhibition in Singapore is on view until the end of the month at The Columns Gallery, located at Gillman Barracks.
Rhaiem works with consumer products, such as food packaging and cooking utensils, that are also sentimental motifs of her childhood and family life. Upon these objects, she projects her ideal of family harmony. Deeply personal, containing shared elements of the Asian childhood experience, her works strike a chord within me, even without further explanation.
Stepping closer, I am able to more fully appreciate Rhaiem’s painstakingly detailed work. Her medium of Swarovski crystals is not a common one within contemporary art, and she even uses different types of stones to emphasise the objects’ unique forms and graphic details.
Removed from their original contexts and bedazzled, the objects are visually flattened, becoming reminiscent of pop art or advertising graphics. I come to realise that Rhaiem’s method is capable of both elevating and reducing the perceived value of the objects beneath their Swarovski crystal skins. Everyday objects, like ordinary wooden spoons or cardboard boxes, are now elevated on lofty podiums like objects of worship, despite the humble bases that lie beneath. Through her art form, Rhaiem assigns new values to these objects, which now become infinitely more precious and respected.
In contrast, the boxes from luxury brands appear less valuable, despite the glitter and glamour. For instance, when the crystals adorn a monochrome Chanel No. 5 box, they make it seem gaudy and over-the-top, even cheap.
Lined up, the various bedazzled objects stand like solemn soldiers at attention, their geometric forms playfully interacting with one another. I scrutinise their packaging designs, observing how the cheaper products have more details, patterns, and colours, while the Gucci and Chanel boxes use more mellow, understated designs and colour palettes. The latter pale in comparison next to the biscuit boxes and cup noodles, which draw my eye with their bright colours and bold graphics.
By covering both affordable and luxury products with the same crystals, Rhaiem’s work toys with the presumed statuses of these objects, questioning the monetary value we have assigned to them in our society and even uncovering some of the subconscious capitalist influences on our perception.
In Memory and Metamorphosis, I would have loved to see more from Rhaiem, and more explorations of her medium and this interesting concept. It is definitely worth a visit to admire these meticulous creations.
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Shourouk Rhaiem: Memory and Metamorphosis runs at The Columns Gallery till 28 February 2025. Find out more at columnsgallery.com.
