"Keys" by Peter Buechler explores the symbolic and cultural significance of keys, elevating a mundane object into a complex narrative of access, security, and transition. The photograph, printed on aluminum, depicts a key slid under a door—initially a simple act of returning an apartment key in New York—but becomes more layered when real, found keys are mounted onto the image. These physical keys obscure the printed one, making it difficult to distinguish between what is real and represented.

Keys are powerful symbols across cultures, often representing access, control, or the unlocking of new opportunities. In Buechler’s piece, they evoke notions of boundaries—both literal and metaphorical—such as the personal boundaries of a private residence or the broader ones of belonging and exclusion. By embedding these keys in a safety deposit box, an object typically associated with protecting valuables, Buechler reframes what is considered precious. Rather than money or important documents, it is the artist’s personal memory, experience, and the viewer’s interpretation that are safeguarded. The artwork encourages reflection on the tension between physical objects and the deeper emotional or cultural meanings they carry.