Campus Congress – Sprawl

Sprawl

In the conference building we see a clear structure with regard to columns, this intervention plays with this structure. Starting from the existing columns, these are repeated in space. The place where the new columns are placed is determined arbitrarily. The obtained result is a jungle of columns that extend over the 3 floors.
Historically, this intervention is closest to the work of people like Richard Venlet. He also plays with space and the possibilities within this space. This installations plays with the laws that are applied in architecture. During the design of the congress building, the existing columns were placed in a place where they can best fulfill their function as a column. Moving the pillars of the building calls into question this straightforward way of thinking. It actually makes the visitor doubt the strength of this structure. The visitor’s walking pattern is also gets adjusted. Normally a person walks next to a row of poles, by placing more columns in the room, his rectilinear walking pattern is transformed into a tangle that we normally only see with children playing.
This intervention reflects the architecture of the building and completely ignores its function. As a story it fits in my oeuvre as an artist: playing with the architecture and the laws that are applied within this field of study is something that can often be seen in my works.

This installation has a very simple concept, yet the impact of this procedure is very large. The placement of the extra row of columns questions the entire spatial context of the existing elements. Is it a column or is it a work of art that the building bears.
This intervention also requires a little attention for the existing columns, the beauty of the shape, the simple functional appearance, the robustness of the column.
In my work I often work with repetition of things. With this repetition question, attention is always paid to the existing elements. By repeating the columns, I draw attention not only to these supporting structures, but actually to the entire building conference. This intervention also fits very well in my oeuvre. When I look at the things I do, you can split them into different elements.
I build things, I make scale models, I play with light and shadow and I make drawings (mostly in plan form). An example of the ‘sprawl’ intervention is an example of all these presentation techniques. The columns in the room, the model on a trestle and a drawing in the booklet and on the wall on the first floor.