One recurring symbol that illustrates where Marti’s interests intersect is the gesture of the fingerprint, not only a collection of concentric ovals akin to psychedelic animations but also a means of printing, and thus reproduction. Marti’s pendants entitled Golden Egg and Silver Egg for GEMS AND LADDERS are a fresh iteration of the oval form. Pieces of the off-cuts created through a jeweller’s working, gold and silver respectively, are fixed within clear resin ovals. The transparent material also anchors the chains from which the pendants hang. In a similar fashion to Marti’s photogram works, which short-circuit the photography process, his pendants do not describe forms but enable a direct presentation of the shavings, dust and other small elements of the precious metals. Each piece is thus not a copy, but a unique element within the edition.
Fabian Marti, (b. 1979) has been described as the spiritual leader of the Swiss art scene, though he currently divides his time between Europe and the Americas.
