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Throughout it's evolutionary process
humankind has turned inner spiritual visions into
narratives, customs, and artistic objects conceived and
shaped by the knowledge and resources of the prevailing
epoch. Through a deliberate selection of indigenous
materials I am emphasizing the origin of all things. Yet,
while archeological presence, form, firing and hand building
technique give a timeless quality to my work, embedded
machine parts speak of technological advances and the
application of a spatial view captures a growing awareness
of global/universal interconnectedness and
responsibility.
At times I transform the malleable clay
into orbs emphasizing homeostasis and harmony resulting from
the feeling of being born of and belonging to a boundless
universe. A swirl of white and blue colors mixed with
patinas and metallic luster achieved through the process of
Raku firing gives these celestial spheres a galactic
presence. If I have the need to express genesis or
destructive universal forces, the creative process is more
volatile. I tear and pierce the clay to form erupting
craters or war-like wounds. The glazing and firing process
for these orbs varies and is determined by the intuitively
experienced mood of the unfinished vessel. Finally, there
are my down to earth creations, where form and texture are
representative of the primordial state of our planet or
resemble the transformation of a functional vessel into a
container that holds the spirit of our time.
Having been born in Germany, in 1941, to
a Dutch mother and a father who was fighting in France, the
contemplation of genesis, transformation and maturation of
cultural/religious customs, and the function of art has been
the most fertile source for my work. Today, in creating orbs
I emulate a spatial view to capture the astral elements of
our world, I aim to transcend cultural boundaries, political
ideologies and religious dogma to metaphorically demonstrate
that humanity, nature and the powers that govern the
universe are intrinsically one.
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