A year ago, ArtDependence reported on Belgian artist Sofie Muller’s installation ‘The Clean Room’ being presented as one of thematic pavilions of maltabiennale.art 2024.
Muller’s work, comprising seven alabaster sculptures of life-size nude babies installed on a row of simple tables covered by transparent boxes, went on to win the prize for the best pavilion at the 2024 Malta Inaugural Biennial, cementing its significance in the contemporary art world.
For Muller, who had worked on the Clean Room for more than 6 years, the award was both a testament to her artistic vision and her ability to engage audiences with themes that are often overlooked or difficult to confront. The work invites visitors into an atmosphere of hushed reverence, prompting reflection on the fragility and vulnerability of early existence.
Sofie Muller, The Clean Room (2017-2022) at the Malta Biennial 2024
Upon receiving the award, Muller expressed her intention to take The Clean Room to wider audiences in other locations worldwide. It appears that the international recognition received by the Clean Room may have resulted in some other unwanted consequences.
Recently, ArtDependence has received multiple testimonials from visitors who attended American artist Andrea Fraser’s exhibition ‘Untitled (Video, Audio, Objects)’ at Gallery Marian Goodman in Paris in autumn 2024. These visitors, who also saw The Clean Room by Sofie Muller at the 2024 Malta Biennale, point to striking similarities between the two installations, raising questions about thematic and formal parallels.
Untitled (objects), 2024, by Andrea Fraser. Part of the exhibition Andrea Fraser, Untitled (video, audio, objects) at Marian Goodman Gallery, Paris
Visitors have expressed their astonishment at the resemblance between Andrea Fraser’s Untitled Objects (2024) and Sofie Muller’s Clean Room (2017–2022). Beyond conceptual affinities, they noted the similarity in the overall installation, presentation and conceptual choices.
ArtDependence shares a selection of testimonials:
A visitor recounts: "The day I discovered Andrea Fraser's work, I was gallery-hopping. As I ascended the stairs at Marian Goodman, I remarked, 'Ah, great, this is the artist who exhibited at the Malta Biennial!' I was convinced it was Sofie Muller's work on display."
Another testimony reads: "I also appreciated the clinical yet protective quality of the presentation. What a shock it was to then see Andrea Fraser's Untitled exhibition at Marian Goodman. I perceived it as a dilution of what makes Sofie Muller's work unique, universal, and deeply moving. By ‘moving,’ I mean that standing in front of one of these sculptures triggers primal reactions, uncontrollable emotions, and a flood of memories and questions—as one expects from a powerful work of art. What I saw in Untitled mimicked the body forms and the protective wrapping of the sculptures. I cannot believe this is a mere coincidence or part of an artistic trend. It is deeply unsettling."
The testimony continues: "I first encountered Sofie Muller’s work during the promotional campaign for the Malta Biennial in February 2024. I was stunned by how closely Andrea Fraser’s work resembled it."
A further statement underscores the implications of these similarities: "The resemblance between these specific sculptural pieces, and particularly their display methods, is undeniable when comparing them to Andrea Fraser’s Untitled (Objects), which were presented much later."
One more: “My astonishment, however, was profound when I got news of Andrea Fraser’s exhibition at Marian Goodman Gallery showing works with striking similarities to Clean Room. This concern was only deepened after watching the video conversation between Fraser and Chris Dercon. While Dercon is undeniably a powerful figure in the arts and Marian Goodman Gallery is an esteemed institution, this level of recognition does not justify what appears to be an appropriation of another artist’s deeply personal and developed visual language. ”
The evident parallels between the two works inevitably raises questions about the conception of Fraser’s installation.
ArtDependence shared the testimonials with Sofie Muller, who informed us that she was aware of Fraser's installation at the Marian Goodman Gallery and is grateful for the support. Muller has notified the Gallery and Fraser and, for the time being, does not wish to make any further comments.
ArtDependence also asked Marian Goodman Gallery for a comment, thus far we have not received any.
Main Image: Sofie Muller, The Clean Room (2017-2022)
Anna Melnykova, "Palace of Labor (palats praci), architector I. Pretro, 1916", shot with analog Canon camera, 35 mm Fuji film in March 2022.
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