from 20 May to 8 August 2021 at two locations in the centre of Leiden: Hooglandse Kerkgracht and the inner garden of the BplusC library on Nieuwstraat.
Artists Maud van den Beuken, Lungiswa Gqunta, Jason Hendrik Hansma, Vibeke Mascini, Thomas Swinkels and Riet Wijnen made new sculptural work for Sferen.
Night-birds, riverbeds, Japanese knotweed and the source of the Mississippi… With their work, the six artists of Sferen make the viewer aware of his relationship with the natural and urban environment. With their sculptures and installations, the artists establish connections between the physical, lived environment and our imagination. They ask questions about the preservation of the landscape, invasive phenomena and security. They make us think about social inequalities, the formation of borders and they put our logic to the test. What characterises the artists is a clear visual language, anchored in the history of abstract art, and a conceptual approach to space. With their work, they explore the edges of what sculpture can be. For these participants in the anniversary edition of Beelden in Leiden, it is the first time they are showing their sculptures in public space or working on a larger scale. Read more about Spheres here.
The opening is marked by the presentation of the Frans de Wit award, which can be seen live on Sleutelstad TV on Thursday May 20 at 5 pm, and can also be followed online. This year, the jury for this incentive prize consists of Nathanja van Dijk, departing director of the Kunsthal, art collector Casper van der Kruk, artist Izaak Zwartjes and critic Domeniek Ruyters.
Photo: Vibeke Mascini, Instar, 2021, work in progress documentation.