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By Chris Colemont
As a part of the cultural programme organised in celebration of the Netherlands Presidency of the Council of the European Union, “Espace Européen pour la Sculpture” has assembled the exhibition “The Invisible Hand” from April 13th until the 11th of September.
Held at Tournay-Solvay Park under the patronage of the Dutch Ambassador Maryem van den Heuvel, and curated by Natalie Kovacs, the outdoor exhibition featured works of the two Dutch prominent contemporary sculptors-artists Joep van Lieshout and Leonard van Munster. Landscape and sculptures combine like the flora and fauna providing a prestigious show of great significance and high artistic value.
This piece was exhibited for the first time at the private estate of the family Von Richthofen in Germany. A top of a golden monument is rising out of the water. The mountain must be huge with its majority continuously under the water. The hollow mountain is made of survival blankets, the ones used to wrap people to keep them warm in emergency situations. With the European refugee crisis in mind, the work couldn’t be more timely.
The title refers to Adam Smith’s contested theory that the pursuit of individual interest results in social and economic benefit for all. This sculpture is about systems and offers a comment about how the economy controls society and how according to van Lieshout, “money rules the world”.
But whose hand is it? A question that comes to your mind as soon as you get in. Is it a sculptor, an artist, a spirit? is it good, is it bad? Every viewer sees it differently and interprets it his own way.
Of his sculpture, Joep van Lieshout says: “It’s a man hanging on a hand; The Invisible Hand, is a question mark that probes our dependence on economy and how money rules the world… our development from animal species to a ‘rational’ lifestyle society.” This site might help you www.paydaychampion.com about this topic.
But this spectacular set up had a lot more to say. Regardless the general theme, each and every piece had a message to send and an issue to highlight.
The Burghers signify humanity, civilians, unity and entrapment in society. Unforeseeable forces question what one will do in a crisis, what role will one play? Hero? Nerd? Killer? Helper? Healer? Traitor? Saint or sinner?
ABOUT Joep van Lieshout
Joep van Lieshout (Ravenstien, 1963): A sculptor, visionary, and entrepreneur, he is a graduate from the Rotterdam Academy of the Arts, and he works under his Atelier Van Lieshout name since 1995. He has exhibited at museums and galleries worldwide his works, known to surpass art, design and architecture. They evoke a number of recurring themes, motives and obsessions: systems, power, autarky, life, sex, the pressure that human get when it comes to death. The human individual in the face of a greater whole. www.ateliervanlieshout.com
ABOUT Leonard van Munster
Leonard van Munster (Zwolle, 1972): A sculptor who creates installations in the public space, in places where the surroundings form an important part of the experience. His work is usually only displayed for short periods of time, after which only the memory remains. The themes of desire, happiness and childhood memories are important in his work. He tries to recreate these moments by building them. www.leonardvanmunster.com
