More than just the Sum of Parts

Curators' thoughts on sculpture being made in Europe today. By Adri A.C. de Fluiter (NL).

The art of sculpture that I would like to promote is art that opens up new perspectives of the space we live in. Space, including the things that people accomplish themselves, such as cities, parks, and town squares, and existing spaces such as forests, mountains, and seas.
The latter category, in other words Nature, is the area of my interest for the presentation of "sculptural works of art". Quotation marks, because I'm talking about works of Art based on situations and places in Nature, where the artist discovers that he or she is realizing a work of Art together with the environment, in which Nature and the sculptural action enhance each other.

These projects form a gateway to Art as well as to Nature. An environment must be created which will generate added value to the experience of the location, based on the philosophy of sculpture. Nature and the materials that have been introduced, or the action that has taken place there, are forming an inseparable whole.

A major part in this philosophy is the fact that the environmental projects will often have a restricted life span. They are like shiny butterflies that sparkle for a short time only and then disappear again. Their value is not in their life span but in the total experience as presented to the audience. Questions are being generated, moments that invite contemplation. Where does Art begin and where ends Nature? The partnering of Art and Nature creates an experience, which is a great deal more than just the sum of parts.

To realize these works it is obvious that a location has to have good access and it is also nice when there is another place of public interest in the neighbourhood e.g. an open air museum, art museum etc.

Curator’s selected artists:
Johan Sietzema  www.johansietzema.nl
Mari Shields  www.marishields.com
Arjen Boerstra  www.arjenboerstra.nl
Hannah Streefkerk  www.waanwaar.nl
Lucien den Arend  www.denarend.com
Karin van der Molen  www.karinvandermolen.nl
Marinus Boezem  www.marinusboezem.nl
Jeroen van Westen  www.jeroenvanwesten.nl
Femke van Dam  www.femkevandam.nl

Adri A.C. de Fluiter

2009 – 2011
Curator ‘Dorpsgezichten’ (Village Views).
2005 – 2010
Curator ‘Natuurkunst Drenthe’(Nature Art Drenthe).
www.natuurkunstdrenthe.nl
2005
Curator ‘Hidden Lanes’. 10 international artists working in a nature reservation ‘De Manteling’ province Zeeland (NL)
1999
Curator of the Japanese section at Puurs (Belgium)

If you would like to contact Adri A.C. de Fluiter please write to info@sculpture-network.org