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Should you be thinking about restroom upgrades, you may want not to choose engaging Lisa Herfeldt for the job.

Certainly, Herfeldt is a whiz in handling foam materials, creating compelling sculptures with a surprising substance. But as you examine these pieces, the more it becomes apparent that something feels slightly unnerving.

The thick lengths of sealant she crafts reach past the shelves on which they sit, drooping over the sides to the ground. The gnarled foam pipes bulge until they split. Some creations escape their transparent enclosures fully, turning into an attractor for dust and hair. One could imagine the reviews might not get positive.

“I sometimes have an impression that items possess life within a space,” remarks the German artist. Hence I started using this foam material as it offers a distinctly physical texture and feeling.”

Certainly there’s something somewhat grotesque about the artist's creations, including the phallic bulge jutting out, like a medical condition, from the support within the showspace, or the gut-like spirals made of silicone which split open resembling bodily failures. Along a surface, the artist presents images showing the pieces seen from various perspectives: they look like squirming organisms observed under magnification, or colonies on culture plates.

What captivates me is the idea in our bodies taking place that also have a life of their own,” the artist notes. Elements which remain unseen or manage.”

Regarding unmanageable factors, the exhibition advertisement promoting the event displays a picture of the leaky ceiling in her own studio located in Berlin. The building had been erected decades ago as she explains, was quickly despised among the community as numerous historic structures were removed to allow its construction. By the time run-down when Herfeldt – a native of that city but grew up north of Hamburg before arriving in Berlin during her teens – moved in.

This deteriorating space caused issues for the artist – she couldn’t hang her art works without concern they might be damaged – but it was also intriguing. With no building plans on hand, nobody had a clue the way to fix the malfunctions that developed. When the ceiling panel in Herfeldt’s studio became so sodden it collapsed entirely, the sole fix involved installing it with another – and so the cycle continued.

At another site, the artist explains the leaking was so bad so multiple collection units got placed within the drop ceiling to divert the water to a different sink.

“I realised that this place acted as a physical form, an entirely malfunctioning system,” Herfeldt states.

The situation reminded her of Dark Star, the director's first movie from the seventies about an AI-powered spacecraft that develops independence. As the exhibition's title suggests through the heading – a trio of references – more movies have inspired to have influenced Herfeldt’s show. These titles point to the female protagonists in the slasher film, another scary movie and Alien as listed. She mentions an academic paper from a scholar, outlining these surviving characters an original movie concept – female characters isolated to overcome.

They often display toughness, reserved in nature and she can survive because she’s quite clever,” the artist explains regarding this trope. No drug use occurs or engage intimately. It is irrelevant who is watching, we can all identify with this character.”

She draws a parallel linking these figures with her creations – objects which only holding in place under strain they face. So is her work focused on societal collapse rather than simply water damage? As with many structures, such components intended to secure and shield us from damage are actually slowly eroding around us.

“Absolutely,” responds the artist.

Before finding inspiration using foam materials, Herfeldt used alternative odd mediums. Past displays included forms resembling tongues using the kind of nylon fabric found in within outdoor gear or inside a jacket. Again there is the feeling such unusual creations could come alive – a few are compressed like caterpillars mid-crawl, pieces hang loosely on vertical planes or extend through entries collecting debris from touch (Herfeldt encourages viewers to touch and soil the works). As with earlier creations, those fabric pieces are also housed in – leaving – budget-style display enclosures. These are unattractive objects, and that's the essence.

“These works possess a specific look which makes one highly drawn to, and at the same time appearing gross,” Herfeldt remarks amusedly. “It attempts to seem not there, however, it is extremely obvious.”

Herfeldt's goal isn't pieces that offer relaxation or visual calm. Instead, she aims for discomfort, odd, or even humor. However, should you notice a moist sensation from above too, remember the alert was given.