It is never the tie’s day. Neither is it that of the belt, the hat, or the umbrella – items which contribute to the gestalt of an outfit, or assist in practicalities – ever a part, never the whole. In English, the word accoutrements refers to the “extra” accessories or items that complete an outfit but which are never at its core. Rasmus Myrup’s sculptures show us allegorical objects – usually considered secondary – as protagonists, finally whole.

The works in this exhibition stem from Myrup’s collaboration with the Centre d’art Contemporain d’Yverdon-lesBains and the Swiss Museum for Fashion (MuMode) in Switzerland, where he was invited to immerse himself in the fashion archives from the 1700’s to present day. Amongst the thousands upon thousands of fashion items, the accessories, archived separately from the clothing they usually underscore, off duty and surrounded by their “peers”, stood out. In these works the artist releases them from their subservient position of labour.

Upon entering the exhibition at Galleri Nicolai Wallner, several vignettes of intimacy and relaxation are unfolding. A belt is unbuckled, finally reclining after years of rescuing trousers from the grasp of gravity. Ties, loosed from their corporate duties, hold hands affectionately to decompress after a long day. Bowlegged glasses strut around in a pair of bronze boots. Hats hang out, as they slide down from the top of our heads, and face us with their faces.

As these extras take centre stage, the act of objectification is inverted. The hanger, mostly defined by their job, which is to hang, is having a day off, standing; no longer confined to the role they have been known for. Myrup suggests, with empathy as a tool, that there is more to an individual than a singular power relation can describe. In these symbolic acts, Accoutrements points to the stories unfolding just out of frame.

Everyone wants the umbrella when it rains, but what does she do on all the sunny days?