Freight introduces a fully realized, immersive world. Its distended creations groan under the burden of counterpoised impressions, simultaneously autonomous while forming a heaving mass of sensory information. Produced between 2013 and 2014, forty-five shipping-crane inspired sculptures assert their dominance over the installation’s three hundred and thirty two bespoke containers, sitting beside or atop numerous marble-coloured pillars.
These analogue works, though grounded in the technology of Belgium’s harbour ports (particularly straddle carriers, or Olifantje), become more abstract entities. The end result is an uncanny landscape; a twisted container terminal in space. Navigating through this apparently static world, the viewer confronts an oscillation of qualities: functionality fusing with ostentation, suggesting a precarious balance; the benign activity of machines flickering with latent alien danger. Freight’s power lies in this embodied spirit of indeterminacy.
Sculptures
I use drafts, short cuts, and flashbacks to tame the production process for my sculptures. It's important for me to have an overview while creating. When I develop my artworks, I consider each sculpture autonomous. They should be able to stand out on their own, but also function as part of a group.
Developing my Freight series was like walking a tightrope. I had to create the right tension between the volumes, machines, containers and pedestals in order to achieve a great balance. SoI pay attention to the tensions between different forms, and use them to create harmony and visual interest.