My proposal for the Theodora Niemeijer Prize 2016 consisted of a sculptural intervention in the patio Het Oog. This intervention is an invitation to the audience toinvestigate their physical relation with this space.
Starting point of the intervention is an action in which the wall in Het Oog is folded into a cone:
I take the wall, roll it up and pull at one end until it transforms into a cone. The flat surface is now transformed into a 3D object and creates a new understanding of what space is, what an object is and how the two relate. This intimate action will be turned into a monumental gesture, measuring the real size of the wall of Het Oog and resulting is a 18m long cone. This monumental cone will be replaced in Het Oog and protude above the eaves.
‘Once made, they (objects, red.) appear to be independent of human action, thrown at us and assuming an allegedly stable state’, wrote science archeologist M’Charek. Because of formal references to an arrow, the cone literally looks as if it has been thrown into the museum. The cone becomes a metaphor for the the relation between the museum and the outside world, or between the arts and society. The cone can be perceived as a rolled pamphlet, proclaiming the wishes and demands of the outside world (think: social cohesion, participation, targets). Yet, this ‘pamphlet’ derives from the museum itself, emphasizing the autonomous strength of the museum (i.e. the arts), and its capacities for reflection and imagination.
Watch the video with explanation of the proposal (Dutch only):
