Transformator, Belgium

Located within a prefabricated concrete bunker in the ‘Cable Gallery’ of a 100 year old electric power station, I built and painted a wooden chamber 2m high and 3m long. This was my installation amongst 30 other installations to celebrate the centenary of the building. The curator and famed artist Klaus Verscheure together with organisers We Are Clouds briefed me with a single word emotion, my piece was entitled ‘All the Rage’.

Construction

I chose to force people to see the work through a single, 3D spectacled window built in to the exhibit as a small window. Also – the stereoscopic effect, only part-engages the spectator, whilst looking through the window. This places various limitations and restrictions on the viewer – is it so important to all be able to share a moment together?

This piece is dedicated to Pieter DeWaegeneere, beloved son of Zwevegem and to his dear Daisy.

Escher discovery

When my friend visited whilst I painted, he photographed one of the huge engines in the turbine hall that had a curious enscription on the manufacturers stamp. I am really interested to find out any links between the great print maker, craftsman, mathematician and illustrator Maurits Escher. His father was named George Arnold Escher, who himself was a civil engineer that lived and worked in the region. Georges father was named Barend George Escher who was the son of David George Escher. The stamp bears the brand ESCHER WYSS & Cie – a company based in Switzerland founded by Hans Caspar Escher and Salomon von Wyss. I reckon its just one of my most fleetingly romantic notions dreamt up to polish a rusty old conincidence.

Location

Here are some images and maps you can explore at your leisure, just click and drag around. Zwevegem is a lovely place to visit – the power station has one of the richest local legacies.

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The exhibition ran from September 7th 2013 until October 7th and featured work by 28 artists: Soloists Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra (BE), Kendell Geers (SA), Klaus Verscheure (BE), Charif Benhelima (BE), Ward Denys (BE), CHU (UK), The Flemish Radio Choir (BE), Benjamin Boutreur (BE), Dominiq VD Wall (BE), Lien Anckaert (BE), Amie Bolissian (UK), Messieurs Delmotte (BE), Joris Van der Borght (BE), Image Collective (BE), Klaus Company (BE), Stéphane Cauchy (FR), Thierry Glorieux (BE), The Figuranten (BE), Ann Demeere (BE), Piet De Doncker (BE), Anneke Depuydt (BE), Ewout D’Hoore (BE), Hans demeulenaere (BE), Jean-Luc Detavernier (BE), Klaas Rommelaere (BE), Karl Philips (BE), Kris Strybos aka SCALE (BE), Sarah Bostoen (BE), Régis Cotentin (FR), Spectra Ensemble (BE) Julien Libeer (BE) & Tom McRae (UK)