“Fan Fiction” show by Olivia Erlanger at Soft Opening, on view until November 23rd
, in London

Erlanger explores the symbolism of everyday appliances in “Fan Fiction”, questioning their impact on domestic life and society at large. By reimagining familiar objects, her work emphasizes the artificial boundaries we build between interior and natural spaces. Four ceiling fans, whose blades have been altered to resemble butterfly wings, disrupt the typical form and function of appliances, prompting reflection on our impulse to mold environments to our comfort. 

This theme extends into the concept of “closed worlds” — controlled interiors that mask or replace nature. The fans are shown next to Erlanger’s short film “Appliance”, where everyday household items—an oven, lamp, and fridge—turn into malevolent forces. Turning familiar domestic spaces into sites of eerie violence, where everyday objects become agents of terror. When viewed in the context of “Fan Fiction” Erlanger engenders the butterfly sculptures with an undertone of danger and violence of their own. Satirizing humanity’s largely unexamined reliance on such enclosed spaces, sparks broader questions about the ecological and social effects of our constructed surroundings.