Daniel Holfeld: LEVELS

This new work reflects Holfeld’s recent time spent in Geneva, where he found himself in an intriguing position: viewing the city through a lens untainted by familiarity. Initially captivated by the architecture of Geneva’s NGO and financial institutions, Holfeld soon recognized the bombastic style as a symbol of exclusivity, designed to affirm the importance of the working elite. Disillusioned, he shifted his focus to the city’s overlooked utilitarian structures—bridges, car parks, warehouses, and post offices—which resonated with his own sense of being an outsider. Over time, Holfeld’s attention narrowed to urban staircases, which he saw as metaphors for social & institutional hierarchy. These structures came to symbolize power struggles, milestones of growth, and goals yet to be realized; reflecting the complexities of identity and societal navigation.

Drawing on his two decades in fashion photography and advertising, Holfeld chose micro-perforated contra-vision vinyl—typically used on storefront windows—to reflect Geneva’s utilitarian design ethos of functionality, practicality, and durability. Its resilience symbolizes the strength needed to navigate societal pressures, while the repetitive pattern of micro-perforations evokes the monotony of routine, underscoring the sense of insignificance and the emotional toll of facing systemic exclusion.

Echoing the work of Bernd and Hilla Bechar who focused on industrial architecture, Holfeld too celebrates the beauty of functionality and form, elevating overlooked and utilitarian structures to objects of artistic and cultural significance. Here Holfeld’s work invites viewers to reconsider the built environment and its role in shaping human experience.

PLEASE NOTE, THESE WORKS COME SIZED IN TWO EDITIONS:
XL - 200 x 130 cm
L - 120 x 78 cm