Just like...
(my) mother
‘Just Like…’ is a sculptural installation that deconstructs domestic life by reimagining everyday objects as symbols of both comfort and constraint. Rooted in personal experience yet expanding to universal themes, the artwork challenges traditional gender roles and the limitations of patriarchal systems. It encourages a fresh perspective on the familiar spaces of home and the complex dynamics that shape our lives.
By recontextualising everyday furnishings, the work opens a critical dialogue on the complexities of family and the enduring influence of patriarchal systems. ‘Just Like…’ represents a direct confrontation with the darker facets of domestic life and the challenges of motherhood within a patriarchal framework. The installation forms part of the self‑initiated art project Family Fountains.
As is characteristic of the artist’s practice, the work is rooted in personal experience that serves as a catalyst for a broader, universal contemplation. Recurring motifs, such as everyday furniture including chairs, cabinets, and tables, play an essential role in her creative process. The installation features three kitchen stools that appeared in two earlier installations (2000 and 2014) and were part of the artist’s household for 25 years while she raised her two children as a single parent. These stools now find their final expression in Just Like…
Reflecting on the significance of furniture in her work, Reggie Voigtländer notes: “I want people to recognize these objects as the things they are, and at the same time I merge them together into a new visual context. They must speak from their functions related to human presence and activities, expressing a certain aspect or value attached to it and relevant within the presented constellation.
Photo: sculptural installation at exhibition 'bayhouse - Kaapwartier' during Rotterdam Artweek 2025.
Video Instagram: click here
For more on the broader context of this work, see installation 'Family Fountain': click here