THE WASHING MACHINE

Made as a critical approach to an open call for LBTQ art, to open a discussion on sustainable support, this work was initially named pink washing and was not accepted. The machine washes all colors in its drum in vain. Do the colors eventually wash off? 

Readymade covered in linnen, agarose and fungal strains (Aspergillus Awamori, Aspergillus Oryzae, Rhizopus Oligosporus, Penicillium species)

YOUR FACE IS YOUR OWN

Made as a critical approach to an open call for LBTQ art, to open a discussion on sustainable support, the pink washing device on the abuse of group identity was rejected for this open call.

However, together with videographer, Mateo Ancis, the Washing Machine was brought to life on a trip through the public space with Leuven as its backdrop. The peculiar appearance could be frowned upon but in reality, it’s totally ignored. How do we cope with thoughtful criticism?

Interestingly this opened a new layer of identity abuse, this time by the artist. Thorough discussions followed as the people of Leuven did not deliberately consent to be shown in this work. In the end the only copyright you can be certain of, is that your face is yours only (and not even so in all occasions).

Video by Jan Van Eijgen and Mateo Ancis, soundtrack by Theo Carpentier

KUNSTLETTERS #020

Article text by Maya Toebat and photos taken by Kimberley D’hollander.

ADORATTION of the Universe: the Leuven Altarpiece

Living together is hard. This quest deserves an altarpiece to contemplate its complexity.

The altarpiece was integrated into an industrial space and invited you, not to dwell on our relationship with the strictly vertical, the supernatural, but to appreciate our relationship to the natural, to each other. It did not provide answers, but raised more. Questions about the role and place we occupy alongside so many other things. During the exhibition, certain panels were overgrown by fungal colonies in the greenhouse, which were then added to the ensemble. Towards the finissage, the central altarpiece was planned to be covered in genetically transformed fungus, as showcase for the ultimate mutual manipulation, but freezing conditions prevented this from happening.
 
1 Altarpiece consisting of 7 panels and 7 bows (7 x 4,1 x0,05 m when assembled)

Fungal strains - agarose - linnen canvas

RAGS

Cas-co studio editions 2022

Cleaning up filth and dirt in the kitchen, yet so caring in a hospital setting, dipping the fever away. Cloths and rags, we could not live without them. Porcelain sculptures overgrown with fungus are scattered throughout the Abbey Keizersberg in Leuven. Useless, but challenging our idea of care and disgust for the environment around us.

[NL] Of het nu gaat over het opkuisen van vuil  of over het met de grootste zorg afdeppen van een bezweet, koortsig voorhoofd, vodden zijn onmisbaar in ons bestaan. Deze porseleinen sculpturen zijn begroeid met schimmelkolonies, ingebed in epoxyhars en geïnstalleerd doorheen de hele Abdij Keizersberg in Leuven. Ze dagen ons uit na te denken over zowel de zorg als de walging voor onze directe omgeving.

12/12 editions
Penicillium species - porcelain - epoxy resin