Floored
patinated bronze, enamel, wax, 2020 - present
Floored is an on-going series that emerges from Maltese’s research on pareidolia—the psychological phenomenon in which recognizable patterns are identified in unrelated contexts. The title of these works refers both to the literal objects as well as the sensation of a pareidolic instance.
The use of the coffee lid is both banal and entirely relatable. We see them inside and outside, and we see ourselves in them. They are in our hands and littered on streets, stacked at cafes and being blown around the city like kites. We fiddle with them, spill outside of them, and leave our traces all over them. They can also be affective, reminding us of coffee breaks, meetings with friends, or of the fuel we need to maintain productivity within capitalist structures.