Saâdane Afif Old Shop-Vac Wet / Dry, 2026

Saâdane Afif's Old Shop-Vac Wet / Dry exhibits a vintage hoover on a plinth made up of neon bulbs and Plexiglas. The work also comprises twelve wall texts, written by different authors and in varying dimensions.

The work belongs to a series titled The Old that directly references Jeff Koons’ seminal series The New (1979–1987). In Koons' original installations, immaculate and freshly manufactured vacuum cleaners were displayed within illuminated Plexiglas vitrines, transformed into icons of purity and consumer desire. Untouched by time, they appeared suspended in a state of perpetual newness, their pristine surfaces asserting an almost devotional faith in technological progress and the promises of modernity.