Container Zéro 1988

Jean-Pierre Raynaud created ‘Container Zéro’ from ceramic tiles, using a material that's both functional and deeply symbolic. These are the kind of tiles you'd find in a bathroom, a space typically associated with hygiene and privacy. But here, repeated over every surface, the grid becomes unsettling, almost oppressive. The immaculate precision speaks to a desire for control, for order imposed on chaos. Consider how much labor is involved in producing and installing these tiles, each one individually placed. It speaks to the hidden hands that shape our built environment, the often-unseen workforce that makes our world. The intense uniformity and repeated nature of the tiles, and their association with domestic settings is a clear nod to the world of design, one far removed from the traditional art world. It's a challenge to our conventional ideas about art, inviting us to reflect on the meaning embedded in everyday materials.