Gabriel Orozco (b. 1962)

In 1994 Orozco was invited to take part in the group exhibition WATT at the Witte de With Centre for Contemporary Art in Rotterdam. Arriving to Rotterdam in January just one week prior to the exhibition, Orozco began walking around the city searching for inspiration. Set on creating site-specific works that he could exhibit at the show, Orozco orchestrated scenes using objects sourced locally and placing them in the urban landscape around him.

Ironing Board is emblematic of Ozorco’s works from this period. What appears to be an ordinary photograph of a line of unassuming buildings seen from a rooftop, becomes immediately absurd by the inclusion of an ironing board – proudly perched on the tiled roof directly opposite the viewer. Why is it there? Who put it there? How did they bring it there? The documentary-style of photography that Orozco uses here, only makes the scene appear all the more inconspicuous, thus adding to the surprise.

Gabriel Orozco has exhibited internationally and was recently given two prominent solo shows – first at The Museum of Modern Art in New York in 2010 and then at Marian Goodman Gallery 2015. Furthermore, his sculptural work produced in conjunction with 6a Architects is now a permanent feature of South London Gallery’s sculpture park.