ZALTBOMMEL - In 2021 I visited this municipality several times. I became fascinated by the stately stairs of the platform in front of the old town hall (national monument). In the regional archive of Museum Stadskasteel Zaltbommel, I saw this platform in photos at various historical events. At this elevation, power presented itself to the people. Today we pass by without giving it much thought...
'The Platform' was a thought experiment and wanted to provide insight into certain consequences of a hypothesis. In 1982 two copies of the coat of arms bearing lions were placed on the original platform during a restoration. The original lions on the other hand, had become too vulnerable and later moved to the entrance of the current municipal office. I wanted to investigate the consequences of displaying the original coat of arms bearing lions, on a specially made copy of the platform. This artwork aimed to study our relationship with architecture. Due to a lack of commitment at the municipality and the Sint Maartenskerk this artistic concept was not realized.
In collaboration with: Project Ruimte Publiek, Museum Stadskasteel Zaltbommel
DEVENTER - 'The Wardship of Others' was developed for the open call 'Tegenbeeld' by Kunstenlab. All over the world people are looking for how to deal with loaded statues. The image of President Steyn in Deventer was also discredited. Kunstenlab invited artists to make an idea sketch - a counter-image to this statue of President Steyn. A selection committee then chose three proposals from 60 entries. Mine was one of the three ideas that could be further developed into a fully-fledged concept. When the selection committee subsequently deviated from the agreed procedure to select one proposal for realisation, the context changed.
'The Wardship of Others' was a process-oriented work of art and wanted to open the door to new forms of (temporary) veneration and/or public signification. My proposal was deliberately not about President Steyn, but the idea was related to the monument. My proposal thus differed substantially from the other two proposals. The temporary placement of the three different works in a 'Counterimage' series, as Kunstenlab ultimately proposed is, in my opinion, not without consequences for the perception of each individual work. That is why I unfortunately had to decide in good consultation to withdraw from this procedure.
In collaboration with: Kunstenlab
Point of No Return 2020
ZALTBOMMEL - 'Point of No Return' was developed in cooperation with Project Space Public and cancled due to a lack of support from among others the minucipality Zaltbommel - a city located along the river Waal. 'Point of No Return' proposed a collaborative artwork for seven days (30 January until 5 February 2020) referring to the evacuation of the Bommelerwaard 25 years ago. Together we would point at the level and moment when the water flows over the dyke. A strategic representation of a point visualized by people for days at which there is no return. Inspired by the (static) aluminium sculpture of Marcel Smink called 'High water' or 'boy in bathing suit'. The concept for 'Point of No Return' comments on these fixed art objects and is developed in response to human actions and the way in which responsibility is divided in the event of a threat, such as in the long struggle against water in the Netherlands.
In collaboration with: Project Space Public
Mother Molenwijk 2019
AMSTERDAM - 'Mother Molenwijk' was a proposal for a research period at Werkplaats Molenwijk. The idea was to start a dialogue based process and look for different ways in which the people, parks and high-rise architecture could influence the wellbeing in this neighbourhood.
In collaboration with: Framer Framed
The Poem 2019
SOMERSET (UK) - 'The Poem' was a proposal for Somerset Art Weeks in the UK and described a ceremonial scene in four stages. This proposal was inspired by the poem 'Four Quartets' by T.S Eliot [In my beginning is my end… in my end is my beginning]. 'The Poem' was the title of a participatory mechanism, using art as a vehicle to visualize the County of Contrasts, in an attempt to transform the fragmented 'reality' during Brexit, towards ambiguous wholeness. As T.S. Eliot wrote: In my beginning is my end.
In collaboration with: Somerset Art Weeks
The Collective Roof 2019
PLOVDIV (BG) - 'The Collective Roof' (that only belongs to you) was a proposal for a monument in four cities during Plovdiv European Capital of Culture 2019. Inspired by Kazimir Malevich’s four black square paintings and the leaking rooftop of the socialist block of my mother in law. Bringing the supremist ideas of Malevich in relation with the reality of people living under a leaking roof, without the financial help of the other inhabitants of that block. 'The Collective Roof' consisted of the realization of four new bitumen rooftops on socialist blocks in monumental black squares and rectangles in the cities Plovdiv, Sofia, Varna and Burgas.
In collaboration with: Plovdiv European Capital of Culture
Einhorn Pool Parties 2019
PERG (AT) - 'Einhorn Pool Parties' was a proposal for Festival of Regions in Perg with the theme 'social warmth'. A unicorn is presented on the city's coat of arms. Inspired by a text in the “Gemeinde zeitung” from March 2018 written by the Mayer of Perg Toni Froschauer, he described a situation where, if people would start a dialogue with each other, they could solve a lot of their complaints. With 'Einhorn Pool Parties' I proposed to organize informal gatherings on a daily basis by opening up private swimming pools (in the Perg region) for the duration of the Festival.
In collaboration with: Festival of Regions
Pomphuis 2019
DEN HELDER - 'Pomphuis' was a proposal for a working period at 'Pompgemaal' a Mondriaan Fund Residency in Den Helder. In 2015 when the Mondriaan Fund thought of leaving this location behind for their residency program, catering entrepreneur Fred van Tol started a political lobby to open a restaurant on this spot. Mondriaan Fund stayed eventually in this property. 'Pomphuis' proposed a research to look at the opportunities for art and its relation with an audience when this imagined restaurant 'Pomphuis' could be realized on this attractive location.
In collaboration with: Mondriaan Fund
BELFELD - The idea for 'Residence Park Belfeld a/d Maas' was developed during 'Reflector', a commission by Circular Art Lab Limburg. A close research on the theme of housing in Belfeld resulted in this village imagination plan. Circular Art Lab Limburg decided not to continue with this proposal. My collaborative art practise is centred around social topics in alternative partnerships. The issues around housing and the quality of living in this area ask for our urgent attention, therefore I am looking for alternative possibilities to further develop 'Residence Park Belfeld a/d Maas' in the upcoming year(s).
In colaboration with: Circular Art Lab Limburg
ING project 2015
AMSTERDAM - 'ING project' responded to the negative image surrounding banks and ING in particular. Even today, the human scale in the business operations of banks seems to be lost and its public function has become far from sight. Just take the visual language of the architecture of this former ING headquarters, which refers to a ship from the VOC era. These doubtful relationships I wanted to visualize by the confrontation of gathering people and the architecture of this building. With this action I was looking for a visual language that could form a counterforce and influence the power with which this bank manifested itself in the urban environment.
In collaboration with: clients of the ING bank
Kingdom of Ends 2013
AMSTERDAM - The title 'Kingdom of Ends' refers to the philosophy of Immanuel Kant and proposes a world in which all human beings are treated as ends not as mere means to an end for other people. 'Kingdom of Ends' was a proposal for an exhibition between two houses on the historic canals of Amsterdam. 'Kingdom of Ends' focussed on the temporary object adored and collected by individual home owners and these historic houses that have to be preserved by them for generations to come. By collecting and exhibiting these objects in between these houses, 'Kingdom of Ends' wanted to question heritage lists and institutionalized collections.
In collaboration with: TAAK, Castrum Peregrini, Office Jarrik Ouburg and Non-fiction
YEOVIL (UK) - The idea for 'Achieve by Unity | Dawn of Justice' was developed during a research residency at Yeovil Project Space in 2016. This artwork was developed as a triptych to be embedded in Yeovil's landscape and refered to a wide range of findings. The triptych form arises from early Christian art and was a popular standard format for altar paintings from the Middle Ages onwards. The title 'Achieve by Unity' refers to the text on the emblem of the Yeovil Town Football club. In an individualized society we can speak of a great achievement when collaboration leads to a collective effort; as we witnessed in Yeovil at the Wyndham Hill protests. My proposal was a ceremonial journey that would lead us from cocreating a glass version of the lead Angel of The Angel Inn, towards a blue Batman with a bad knee on the spot of a fatal accident in Glovers Walk, towards an annual welcoming ceremony for newcomers seen from Wyndham Hill in collaboration with the Magnificent Flying Machines.
In collaboration with: Eastville Project Space
United 93 2013
AMSTERDAM - 'United 93' consisted of the desire to investigate the language used of rejected and approved applications of the Mondriaan Fund. With this research I wanted to investigate the described 'space' for experimentation in society. I also wanted to use this research to gain an idea of the conditions that govern the creation of this 'space' that eventually leads to 'reality'.
In collaboration with: Mondriaan Fund
BREDA - 'The organisation conference' was developed together with MOTI | Museum of the Image. This conference would have the theme 'swarm potential' and it was based on the phenomenon of the Bilderberg conferences. This is a yearly meeting of politicians, CEO's, scientists and other influential people. The outcome of these meetings is always surrounded by secrecy and the selection procedure of guests far from democratic. During 'The organisation conference' the museum would be turned in a three day conference location. Inside a formal as well as informal program would connect the potential of the swarm.
In collaboration with: MOTI | Museum van het beeld
UTRECHT - 'The organisation store' was developed for an empty store in Hoog Catharijne. This shopping mall experienced difficult economic times and with art I wanted to research alternative perspectives. 'The organisation store' was meant to be an open laboratory, providing the infrastructure for a cooperative research, looking at the commercial language that was used by the surrounding shops. Together with customers we wanted to analyse if the commercial language still matched with the target audience.
In collaboration with: Foundation Art in the Station Area
TILBURG - 'Live Happily' was a proposal especially made for the 'open source expo' during Incubate 2012. Incubate intended to attract at least 200 artists who would deliver without any payment their diverse artworks for the exhibition. The curator invited me to make a proposal for this context. Because I imagined the atmosphere of an art fair, I decided to use the corporate language of these fairs. My proposal was to intervene and embed 'Live Happily' inside the general exhibition. It would appear in the form of a booth like the famous coffee brand builds on these art fairs. It would function as a stage for a layered critique towards art exhibited under these poor circumstances.
In collaboration with: Incubate Festival