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Should you be thinking about restroom upgrades, it might be wise to steer clear of engaging Lisa Herfeldt for the job.

Certainly, she's an expert with a silicone gun, crafting fascinating creations with a surprising substance. Yet longer you look at the artworks, the stronger you realise that something seems somewhat unnerving.

Those hefty strands from the foam she produces stretch beyond their supports supporting them, sagging over the sides below. The knotty foam pipes bulge before bursting open. Certain pieces break free from the display cases fully, evolving into a magnet for grime and particles. Let's just say the ratings are unlikely to earn positive.

There are moments I feel the feeling that objects are alive inside an area,” says the German artist. “That’s why I started using this substance due to its this very bodily texture and feeling.”

Certainly there’s something rather body horror regarding Herfeldt’s work, from the phallic bulge that protrudes, similar to a rupture, off its base in the centre of the gallery, or the gut-like spirals from the material which split open like medical emergencies. On one wall, Herfeldt has framed prints of the works captured in multiple views: appearing as microscopic invaders picked up on a microscope, or colonies on a petri-dish.

“It interests me is how certain elements inside human forms occurring that also have their own life,” Herfeldt explains. “Things you can’t see or control.”

Talking of unmanageable factors, the exhibition advertisement promoting the event displays an image showing a dripping roof in her own studio located in Berlin. Constructed made in the seventies and, she says, was quickly despised by local people as numerous old buildings got demolished to allow its construction. It was already run-down upon her – who was born in Munich although she spent her youth near Hamburg before arriving in Berlin as a teenager – began using the space.

This decrepit property proved challenging for her work – placing artworks was difficult her pieces without concern potential harm – yet it also proved fascinating. Without any blueprints available, it was unclear how to repair any of the issues which occurred. When the ceiling panel in Herfeldt’s studio got thoroughly soaked it fell apart fully, the sole fix was to replace it with another – thus repeating the process.

At another site, the artist explains the leaking was so bad so multiple drainage containers were set up in the suspended ceiling in order to redirect the water to a different sink.

It dawned on me that the structure resembled an organism, an entirely malfunctioning system,” she says.

The situation evoked memories of a classic film, the initial work cinematic piece featuring a smart spaceship that takes on a life of its own. Additionally, observers may note given the naming – a trio of references – that’s not the only film shaping the artist's presentation. Those labels refer to the female protagonists from a horror classic, Halloween and the extraterrestrial saga as listed. Herfeldt cites a critical analysis from a scholar, outlining these surviving characters as a unique film trope – protagonists by themselves to triumph.

These figures are somewhat masculine, on the silent side and she can survive thanks to resourcefulness,” she elaborates about such characters. They avoid substances nor sexual activity. Regardless who is watching, all empathize with this character.”

The artist identifies a connection from these protagonists to her artworks – objects which only holding in place despite the pressures they face. So is her work more about social breakdown rather than simply water damage? As with many structures, substances like silicone that should seal and protect against harm are gradually failing around us.

“Oh, totally,” says Herfeldt.

Before finding inspiration using foam materials, she experimented with different unconventional substances. Previous exhibitions featured forms resembling tongues using fabric similar to found in on a sleeping bag or inside a jacket. Once more, there's the feeling these peculiar objects seem lifelike – some are concertinaed as insects in motion, others lollop down on vertical planes or extend through entries attracting dirt from footprints (Herfeldt encourages people to handle leaving marks on pieces). Like the silicone sculptures, those fabric pieces are also housed in – and breaking out of – cheap looking display enclosures. These are unattractive objects, and really that’s the point.

“The sculptures exhibit a particular style that somehow you feel very attracted to, and at the same time appearing gross,” the artist comments grinning. “It attempts to seem invisible, however, it is very present.”

The artist does not create art to provide relaxation or visual calm. Conversely, she aims for discomfort, awkward, maybe even amused. However, should you notice water droplets on your head as well, remember this was foreshadowed.