Outback Shed

In this piece, Korbel has returned to the two-dimensional board motif, but comes at the piece from a different angle. He has extended the theme of nature versus artifice that he began with ‘Autumna Luna’. The piece is reconstructed from scrap pieces of a shed in various states of repair, disrepair and weathering. This evokes the hardiness and make do attitude of rural life – where objects are not discarded, but re-used, re-purposed and re-imagined. Korbel is hinting that this is one of the solutions to our resource crisis, but without valorising this way of life. Indeed, this piece also serves a warning. The artificial, constructed elements are vulnerable to the forces of nature. The power of soil, water and air are on display here in a very visceral way in the process of corrosion. The scrap pieces have effectively been ‘quilted’ onto a very modern back plane. This again evokes rural life and ingenuity, while pointing the way forward for our society to tackle the climate crisis. Old, thrifty techniques must be grafted onto our modern society. Critic’s note: This piece demonstrates that Korbel is not afraid to revisit old techniques with a new lens, much like the message embodied in the piece itself. This reflexivity marks Korbel as an accomplished bricoleur.