Bent,
2020
Developed during Dutch Invertuals Academy and part of the exhibition True Matter, by Dutch Invertuals.
A structure of threads that - over time - morphs and transforms, as it responds and adapts to the environment in which it is placed. Differing temperatures interact with the structure’s materials and determine the rate of bending or ‘collapsing’. The transformation captures the direct environment in the structure’s physical shape, linking its appearance to the conditions in its surroundings and the passage of time. With a temporal transformation and an undisclosed endpoint of this transformation, the structure portrays a lifespan from beginning to end.
Bent is an exploration of movement within the seemingly static, navigating the contrast between stiffness and flexibility. These characteristics can be found in the thermoplasticity of wax, which are used to set shape, playing with its temporary character. Various levels of tension were achieved by fixing and draping threads at diverse lengths and angles, resulting in a gradual transformation of the overall structure.
Exhibition True Matter by Dutch Invertuals Academy
Exhibition pictures by Ronald Smits