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Should you be thinking about bathroom renovations, it's advisable to steer clear of hiring Lisa Herfeldt for the job.

Certainly, Herfeldt is a whiz with a silicone gun, producing fascinating sculptures with a surprising medium. However as you look at these pieces, the stronger one notices a certain aspect seems somewhat unnerving.

The dense tubes from the foam she produces stretch beyond the shelves where they rest, drooping over the sides below. The gnarled silicone strands expand before bursting open. Certain pieces break free from the display cases fully, evolving into an attractor for grime and particles. It's safe to say the ratings might not get pretty.

“I sometimes have this sense that objects possess life within a space,” remarks the German artist. “That’s why I turned to this foam material as it offers such an organic sensation and look.”

In fact one can detect somewhat grotesque in Herfeldt’s work, from the suggestive swelling which extends, similar to a rupture, from the support in the centre of the gallery, or the gut-like spirals of foam which split open resembling bodily failures. Along a surface, the artist presents prints depicting the sculptures seen from various perspectives: appearing as squirming organisms picked up on a microscope, or colonies on a petri-dish.

What captivates me is the idea inside human forms taking place that also have their own life,” Herfeldt explains. Phenomena that are invisible or manage.”

On the subject of things she can’t control, the exhibition advertisement featured in the exhibition includes a picture of water damage overhead in her own studio located in Berlin. Constructed erected decades ago as she explains, was quickly despised by local people as numerous older edifices got demolished for its development. It was already run-down when Herfeldt – who was born in Munich although she spent her youth north of Hamburg prior to moving to the capital as a teenager – began using the space.

This decrepit property was frustrating for the artist – it was risky to display the sculptures anxiously potential harm – however, it was intriguing. Without any blueprints on hand, it was unclear the way to fix any of the issues that developed. After a part of the roof within her workspace was saturated enough it gave way completely, the only solution was to replace the panel with a new one – thus repeating the process.

Elsewhere on the property, Herfeldt says the water intrusion was severe that a series of shower basins got placed above the false roof to channel the moisture elsewhere.

It dawned on me that the building acted as a physical form, a totally dysfunctional body,” she says.

This scenario evoked memories of a classic film, John Carpenter’s debut cinematic piece featuring a smart spaceship which becomes autonomous. And as you might notice from the show’s title – a trio of references – that’s not the only film to have influenced Herfeldt’s show. These titles refer to main characters in the slasher film, another scary movie plus the sci-fi hit respectively. The artist references an academic paper by the American professor, outlining the last women standing an original movie concept – female characters isolated to overcome.

“She’s a bit tomboyish, reserved in nature enabling their survival because she’s quite clever,” says Herfeldt regarding this trope. No drug use occurs or have sex. It is irrelevant the audience's identity, everyone can relate to the final girl.”

She draws a parallel from these protagonists and her sculptures – objects which only maintaining position despite the pressures they’re under. So is her work more about cultural decay rather than simply leaky ceilings? As with many structures, such components intended to secure and shield us from damage are actually slowly eroding in our environment.

“Absolutely,” she confirms.

Before finding inspiration using foam materials, the artist worked with other unusual materials. Past displays included organic-looking pieces made from a synthetic material found in within outdoor gear or inside a jacket. Similarly, one finds the feeling these strange items could come alive – some are concertinaed as insects in motion, pieces hang loosely from walls or extend through entries collecting debris from touch (Herfeldt encourages audiences to interact and dirty her art). Like the silicone sculptures, these nylon creations are similarly displayed in – and breaking out of – budget-style display enclosures. These are unattractive objects, and really that’s the point.

“The sculptures exhibit a specific look that somehow you feel highly drawn to, while also they’re very disgusting,” the artist comments with a smile. “It tries to be absent, but it’s actually highly noticeable.”

Herfeldt's goal isn't work to make you feel comfortable or aesthetically soothed. Conversely, she wants you to feel unease, awkward, perhaps entertained. However, should you notice a moist sensation from above additionally, consider yourself the alert was given.