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If you're planning bathroom renovations, you may want not to choose employing Lisa Herfeldt to handle it.

Indeed, Herfeldt is a whiz in handling foam materials, creating compelling sculptures with a surprising art material. However the more observe her creations, the clearer it becomes apparent a certain aspect seems somewhat strange.

Those hefty strands from the foam Herfeldt forms reach over display surfaces supporting them, sagging off the edges towards the floor. Those twisted silicone strands swell before bursting open. A few artworks leave the display cases fully, becoming a magnet for grime and particles. One could imagine the reviews would not be favorable.

There are moments I feel this sense that things seem animated in a room,” remarks Herfeldt. “That’s why I started using silicone sealant as it offers such an organic texture and feeling.”

Indeed there is an element almost visceral in Herfeldt’s work, starting with the suggestive swelling that protrudes, hernia-like, off its base within the showspace, or the gut-like spirals of foam that rupture like medical emergencies. Displayed nearby, Herfeldt has framed photocopies of the works seen from various perspectives: appearing as squirming organisms picked up on a microscope, or colonies in a lab setting.

“It interests me that there are things within us happening that seem to hold a life of their own,” the artist notes. Elements which remain unseen or command.”

Regarding things she can’t control, the exhibition advertisement promoting the event displays a photograph of water damage overhead within her workspace located in Berlin. Constructed made in the seventies and, she says, was instantly hated among the community as numerous historic structures got demolished in order to make way for it. The place was in a state of disrepair as the artist – originally from Munich but grew up in northern Germany before arriving in Berlin as a teenager – moved in.

The rundown building was frustrating for her work – she couldn’t hang her art works without fearing they might be damaged – however, it was compelling. Lacking architectural drawings on hand, no one knew the way to fix the problems that developed. After a part of the roof in Herfeldt’s studio was saturated enough it gave way completely, the only solution involved installing it with another – perpetuating the issue.

At another site, Herfeldt says the water intrusion was severe that a series of collection units got placed in the suspended ceiling to channel the water to a different sink.

It dawned on me that this place acted as a physical form, a completely flawed entity,” the artist comments.

These conditions brought to mind Dark Star, the director's first movie from the seventies concerning a conscious ship that takes on a life of its own. Additionally, observers may note given the naming – a trio of references – more movies have inspired shaping the artist's presentation. These titles point to main characters from a horror classic, the iconic thriller and Alien in that order. The artist references an academic paper by the American professor, that describes these surviving characters a distinctive cinematic theme – women left alone to triumph.

These figures are somewhat masculine, rather quiet and she can survive due to intelligence,” the artist explains about such characters. No drug use occurs nor sexual activity. It is irrelevant the audience's identity, we can all identify with the final girl.”

She draws a similarity between these characters with her creations – elements that barely holding in place under strain affecting them. Is the exhibition focused on social breakdown than just water damage? Because like so many institutions, such components intended to secure and shield us from damage are actually slowly eroding within society.

“Completely,” says Herfeldt.

Before finding inspiration in the silicone gun, she experimented with different unconventional substances. Recent shows featured tongue-like shapes made from a synthetic material typical for in insulated clothing or apparel lining. Again there is the feeling these strange items seem lifelike – certain pieces are folded like caterpillars mid-crawl, pieces hang loosely from walls or extend through entries attracting dirt from footprints (She prompts people to handle and dirty her art). As with earlier creations, the textile works are also housed in – and escaping from – budget-style acrylic glass boxes. They’re ugly looking things, and that's the essence.

“They have a certain aesthetic that draws viewers highly drawn to, and at the same time they’re very disgusting,” Herfeldt remarks grinning. “It attempts to seem not there, but it’s actually extremely obvious.”

The artist does not create art to provide ease or aesthetically soothed. Instead, her intention is to evoke discomfort, odd, perhaps entertained. And if there's water droplets overhead as well, consider yourself the alert was given.