I am intrigued by the idea of the authenticity of human interaction with the world through objects. When I speak of authentic interaction, I refer to an encounter that arises from having only one piece of information about the subject: the knowledge of its existence. In this context, the purity of such interaction becomes compromised as one acquires more knowledge about the subject. In reality, the most authentic form of such experience may only be attainable for an infant experiencing everything for the first time. 

But why does an authentic interaction matter? I believe that by standing prior to constructed knowledge and identities, one can raise the possibility of comprehending the self and the most fundamental and existential questions of life regarding its origin, purpose, and destiny. With that in mind, the current project allows me to explore the idea of being in the world through a phenomenological encounter with certain objects. My sole intention in creating this collection of objects is that I believe they are worth existing. They don’t serve any function or carry any specific meaning. Some of them might resemble a toy, a tool, or a sculpture. Yet, they are none of these, and this lack of a clear identity gives them the potential to create a hint of an authentic interactive experience for me.

I borrowed the title of this show from Heidegger’s philosophy. He argues that when an object’s functionality is not the primary concern, it shifts from being ‘ready-to-hand’ to ‘present-at-hand.’ In other words, when an object can seamlessly fulfill its intended function, it becomes almost transparent as we use it to achieve a purpose. However, when something disrupts this functionality, the object becomes conspicuous and reveals itself. We begin to relate to it as an alien thing that captures our attention in its own right. The object announces its pure ‘present-at-hand’ nature rather than merely being a means to an end. Similarly, the objects in this collection are meant to be received as ‘present-at-hand’ because they are built to just be and nothing else.