The Island
Inspired by childhood favourite films and adventure stories like 'the Blue Lagoon" and
;Robinson Crusoe ";, which take place on deserted tropical islands as an ideal setting
for an idyllic, heavenly place, the project traces the journey from the fantasy of
paradise on a collision course with reality. Through various art forms in which the
project shows the viewer the conflicts between the preconceptions and stereotypes
of paradise and reality (both the reality of mankind as well as the reality of a
industrialized world), the project creates beauty, combined with confusion, questions
and tension.
In order to keep the fantasy of paradise alive, one must erase and block what does
not fit. But of course reality cannot be blocked and will reassert itself no matter how
hard we try to escape. We can only create our own world by wearing blinkers. The
project, in various media, seeks to document this constant struggle. The project does
this by creating illusions of paradise, which are then interspersed with glimpses of
reality, or are on closer inspection infused with images shattering these illusions.
My personal fascination with tropical deserted islands, together with the realization
that paradise is always deferred, always elsewhere, and always not what it seemed,
has resulted in this a large body of work; film, printmaking, large scale drawings,
wood panels and photographs. In this body of work, I play with the idea of paradise
vs reality, storytelling and fiction vs facts and man-made constructs, exoticism and
idealism versus realism, perception versus reality, and sanity versus insanity.
Paradise found- paradise lost.
Utopia - dystopia.
Singapore consists of 64 islands.;
Islands unchanged, renamed islands, new islands, islands deleted, islands amalgamated and islands of new profile.
Man interferes with nature / creation.
Man is part of nature also.
I question wether man's interference with nature could therefor be seen as part of evolution as well.
In this body of work, besides adventure film and literature, I also refer to Darwin's theory of evolution.
Almost jokingly, cynically, as seen in the series "Natural selection" (work in progress).
The island didn't come into existence naturally, the birds are an introduced species, the mystical mist in the jungle is actually poisonous mosquito fumigation.
It's shows a world in which nothing is what it seems, where human intervenience prevails.
Where nature and people have to make way for economical growth.
The protagonist in the video work can't keep the fantasy and illusion up and slowly sinks into a mental state of despair and disillusion.
Darwin writes in "the Voyage of the Beagle";
"Man at last has been enabled to understand his own role, his own true position in nature and in the world we live in."
Inspired by childhood favourite films and adventure stories like 'the Blue Lagoon" and
;Robinson Crusoe ";, which take place on deserted tropical islands as an ideal setting
for an idyllic, heavenly place, the project traces the journey from the fantasy of
paradise on a collision course with reality. Through various art forms in which the
project shows the viewer the conflicts between the preconceptions and stereotypes
of paradise and reality (both the reality of mankind as well as the reality of a
industrialized world), the project creates beauty, combined with confusion, questions
and tension.
In order to keep the fantasy of paradise alive, one must erase and block what does
not fit. But of course reality cannot be blocked and will reassert itself no matter how
hard we try to escape. We can only create our own world by wearing blinkers. The
project, in various media, seeks to document this constant struggle. The project does
this by creating illusions of paradise, which are then interspersed with glimpses of
reality, or are on closer inspection infused with images shattering these illusions.
My personal fascination with tropical deserted islands, together with the realization
that paradise is always deferred, always elsewhere, and always not what it seemed,
has resulted in this a large body of work; film, printmaking, large scale drawings,
wood panels and photographs. In this body of work, I play with the idea of paradise
vs reality, storytelling and fiction vs facts and man-made constructs, exoticism and
idealism versus realism, perception versus reality, and sanity versus insanity.
Paradise found- paradise lost.
Utopia - dystopia.
Singapore consists of 64 islands.;
Islands unchanged, renamed islands, new islands, islands deleted, islands amalgamated and islands of new profile.
Man interferes with nature / creation.
Man is part of nature also.
I question wether man's interference with nature could therefor be seen as part of evolution as well.
In this body of work, besides adventure film and literature, I also refer to Darwin's theory of evolution.
Almost jokingly, cynically, as seen in the series "Natural selection" (work in progress).
The island didn't come into existence naturally, the birds are an introduced species, the mystical mist in the jungle is actually poisonous mosquito fumigation.
It's shows a world in which nothing is what it seems, where human intervenience prevails.
Where nature and people have to make way for economical growth.
The protagonist in the video work can't keep the fantasy and illusion up and slowly sinks into a mental state of despair and disillusion.
Darwin writes in "the Voyage of the Beagle";
"Man at last has been enabled to understand his own role, his own true position in nature and in the world we live in."
the Island
drawings
a selection
The drawings are based on film stills from the movie “Lord of the Flies”, a 1954 novel by William Golding. (Films; 1963 and 1990). The setting and circumstances are utopian. A group of boys stranded on an uninhabited island.
But the story is a different one. It portrays the boys’ descent into savagery; left to themselves on a paradisiacal island, far from modern civilisation, the well-educated children regress to a primitive state. A dystopian story about loss of innocence and savagery.
Uninhabited islands representing paradise and children representing innocence, the drawings are about the first impression and how the image is not to be trusted. The titles guide the viewer in how to read the work, provide a context and give a different view to that first impression and make the viewer have another look and wonder what really happened.
But the story is a different one. It portrays the boys’ descent into savagery; left to themselves on a paradisiacal island, far from modern civilisation, the well-educated children regress to a primitive state. A dystopian story about loss of innocence and savagery.
Uninhabited islands representing paradise and children representing innocence, the drawings are about the first impression and how the image is not to be trusted. The titles guide the viewer in how to read the work, provide a context and give a different view to that first impression and make the viewer have another look and wonder what really happened.
the island
monoprints
a selection
The island series.
Monoprints on paper, 2019
40 x 40 cm
In this series of prints, which are part of the island series; existing so far of large scale charcoal drawings and a video work which I am currently working on, you see film stills of the movie 'the Lord of the Flies'. The titles on the works are directly taken from the novel "Lord of the flies', by William Golding.
'The island series' plays with our ideas of a tropical paradise island. It plays with our perception of an image. Children are associated with innocence and a deserted tropical island is associated with paradise. These two combined, what could possibly go wrong ?
The boys of the island are figures in a parable or fable which like all great parables or fables reveals to the reader an intimate, disquieting connection between the innocent, time-passing, story-telling aspect of its surface and the great, “dimly appreciated” depths of its interior.
It's not a simple adventure story of boys on a desert island.
Decay-destruction-demoralization-hysteria-panic.
The drawings/prints are realistic, but also emphasise their fictional nature. It's about the deceptive nature of the image in general. The work has a photographic quality because I want them to stay close to a certain reality, or at least pretend that this closeness exists. Photographs and film have an acclaim to truth, or a documentary value. Drawings are more fictional in nature. Making drawings of photographs suddenly places them in a different, self invented universe.
Because they are stills, they demand that everything that comes before and after should be invented. That is the big difference with film. A still has a greater mythical potential but the stills together can be read as a narrated story made of cinematic freeze frames.
The titles/captions play a big role to guide the viewer into how to read the work, provide a context, but also cause confusion. The combination of what you see and what you read is giving you information that confuses slightly, but just enough to make you wonder what really happened, and makes you have another, better look and see things in a different perspective.
Monoprints on paper, 2019
40 x 40 cm
In this series of prints, which are part of the island series; existing so far of large scale charcoal drawings and a video work which I am currently working on, you see film stills of the movie 'the Lord of the Flies'. The titles on the works are directly taken from the novel "Lord of the flies', by William Golding.
'The island series' plays with our ideas of a tropical paradise island. It plays with our perception of an image. Children are associated with innocence and a deserted tropical island is associated with paradise. These two combined, what could possibly go wrong ?
The boys of the island are figures in a parable or fable which like all great parables or fables reveals to the reader an intimate, disquieting connection between the innocent, time-passing, story-telling aspect of its surface and the great, “dimly appreciated” depths of its interior.
It's not a simple adventure story of boys on a desert island.
Decay-destruction-demoralization-hysteria-panic.
The drawings/prints are realistic, but also emphasise their fictional nature. It's about the deceptive nature of the image in general. The work has a photographic quality because I want them to stay close to a certain reality, or at least pretend that this closeness exists. Photographs and film have an acclaim to truth, or a documentary value. Drawings are more fictional in nature. Making drawings of photographs suddenly places them in a different, self invented universe.
Because they are stills, they demand that everything that comes before and after should be invented. That is the big difference with film. A still has a greater mythical potential but the stills together can be read as a narrated story made of cinematic freeze frames.
The titles/captions play a big role to guide the viewer into how to read the work, provide a context, but also cause confusion. The combination of what you see and what you read is giving you information that confuses slightly, but just enough to make you wonder what really happened, and makes you have another, better look and see things in a different perspective.
Castaway; the Island
video about 60 mins
(work in progress)
In this video work, I play the main character who is lost at sea and washes up on this uninhabited island. The texts spoken by me, are texts taken from novels and films; Robinson Crusoe, Lord of the Flies, the Blue Lagoon and Pincher Martin. I use the texts from these books and films because they shaped me in my childhood towards a dream of living on a tropical paradise island, and maybe, probably had such an impact that these popular adventure stories made me leave my home country and live far away here in South East Asia since 1999.
In a way, the film is a self portrait.
Teaser & excerpts of the video;
vimeo.com/865006513?share=copy
vimeo.com/864314045?share=copy
vimeo.com/864312896?share=copy
vimeo.com/864311500?share=copy
the island
photography
a selection
He who created the original paradise, promised to restore what was lost
Pulau Belakang Mati - Sentosa
2018 A deserted tropical island. A setting which is utopian. The idea of paradise on earth is one that originates back to the Bible; the Garden of Eden before the fall of men.
Paradise islands are highly desirable places. But does paradise exist ? How can we know that paradise on earth is not a fantasy, but reality ?
In this series of works I photographed man made tropical islands, created just for you, made to please.
It shows nature, which when taking a closer look, is not nature at all, it’s fake.
I photographed the hollow rocks at an island in Singapore formerly known as "Pulau Belakang Mati" which literally translates as "Island of Death from behind". The island was redeveloped in 1972 by the Singapore government and renamed "Sentosa" which translates to peace and tranquility. Sentosa, was made to please.
The hollow rocks, disintegrated in time, decaying, empty shells held up by plastic pipes, some about to collapse, are a symbol for a paradise lost. Paradise as utopia. The fantasy of paradise on a collision course with reality. The island no longer a place of exotic, idealistic dreams, but a more interior, darker, dystopian place.
The title refers to two things;
-Firstly it refers to the Bible, God who created paradise, pronounced a curse on Adam and Eve after they committed sin and He casts them out of the Garden of Eden. However, after a life living out the teachings of Christ, the kingdom of heaven is once again promised. (paradise lost- paradise regained)
-The title also refers to the idea that 'paradise' is a man made concept. Paradise is often seen as a tropical deserted island where all is good and innocence prevails. Man here takes the role of "God" by creating paradisiacal landscapes, with artificial materials, which over time collapse (paradise found-paradise lost) and will most likely be restored over time.
Pulau Belakang Mati - Sentosa
2018 A deserted tropical island. A setting which is utopian. The idea of paradise on earth is one that originates back to the Bible; the Garden of Eden before the fall of men.
Paradise islands are highly desirable places. But does paradise exist ? How can we know that paradise on earth is not a fantasy, but reality ?
In this series of works I photographed man made tropical islands, created just for you, made to please.
It shows nature, which when taking a closer look, is not nature at all, it’s fake.
I photographed the hollow rocks at an island in Singapore formerly known as "Pulau Belakang Mati" which literally translates as "Island of Death from behind". The island was redeveloped in 1972 by the Singapore government and renamed "Sentosa" which translates to peace and tranquility. Sentosa, was made to please.
The hollow rocks, disintegrated in time, decaying, empty shells held up by plastic pipes, some about to collapse, are a symbol for a paradise lost. Paradise as utopia. The fantasy of paradise on a collision course with reality. The island no longer a place of exotic, idealistic dreams, but a more interior, darker, dystopian place.
The title refers to two things;
-Firstly it refers to the Bible, God who created paradise, pronounced a curse on Adam and Eve after they committed sin and He casts them out of the Garden of Eden. However, after a life living out the teachings of Christ, the kingdom of heaven is once again promised. (paradise lost- paradise regained)
-The title also refers to the idea that 'paradise' is a man made concept. Paradise is often seen as a tropical deserted island where all is good and innocence prevails. Man here takes the role of "God" by creating paradisiacal landscapes, with artificial materials, which over time collapse (paradise found-paradise lost) and will most likely be restored over time.
Natural Selection
Natural selection;
‘The whole island with it’s sloping border, was adorned with an air of perfect elegance; the scenery, if I may use such an expression, appeared to the sight, harmonious.’
(from Charles Darwin;The voyage of the Beagle)
scratching, oilpaint on board.
40 x 180 cm
‘The whole island with it’s sloping border, was adorned with an air of perfect elegance; the scenery, if I may use such an expression, appeared to the sight, harmonious.’
(from Charles Darwin;The voyage of the Beagle)
scratching, oilpaint on board.
40 x 180 cm
Natural selection
&
Castaway series
&
Castaway series
Natural selection;
‘Little imagination is required to fancy that so light and delicate a body must be tenanted by some wandering fairy spirit.’
(from Charles Darwin; The voyage of the Beagle.)
scratching, oilpaint on round board, 20 x 20 cm
Both works refer to Charles Darwin’s research on the theory of evolution. The long oil-paint wooden panel, has ‘my paradise island’ depicted, the little round one has a bird on it, a yellow crusted cockatoo.
The series actually, truly shows a fake island (man made and deliberately devoid of background; no industry and ships are to be seen), and a yellow crusted cockatoo, an introduced bird species.
Yet, we’d perceive this imagery mostly as harmless, peaceful and even paradisiacal. You think you see Eden, but what you see is a troubled world, out of context, where things are not always as it seem, where that pretty cockatoo might actually be a thread to indigenous wildlife.
Yet, as life evolves always, adjusts, evolution continues…one could question if this is evolution too ?
The artist as amateur naturalist, wondering if man can act as God, (by creating an deserted paradisiacal island) aiming to create Eden. If ‘man made’ is part of evolution also, as man is part of nature.
The titles are from Darwin's book 'The voyage of the Beagle'.
I call it 'Natural Selection', a reference to Charles Darwin's research on the theory of evolution.
‘Little imagination is required to fancy that so light and delicate a body must be tenanted by some wandering fairy spirit.’
(from Charles Darwin; The voyage of the Beagle.)
scratching, oilpaint on round board, 20 x 20 cm
Both works refer to Charles Darwin’s research on the theory of evolution. The long oil-paint wooden panel, has ‘my paradise island’ depicted, the little round one has a bird on it, a yellow crusted cockatoo.
The series actually, truly shows a fake island (man made and deliberately devoid of background; no industry and ships are to be seen), and a yellow crusted cockatoo, an introduced bird species.
Yet, we’d perceive this imagery mostly as harmless, peaceful and even paradisiacal. You think you see Eden, but what you see is a troubled world, out of context, where things are not always as it seem, where that pretty cockatoo might actually be a thread to indigenous wildlife.
Yet, as life evolves always, adjusts, evolution continues…one could question if this is evolution too ?
The artist as amateur naturalist, wondering if man can act as God, (by creating an deserted paradisiacal island) aiming to create Eden. If ‘man made’ is part of evolution also, as man is part of nature.
The titles are from Darwin's book 'The voyage of the Beagle'.
I call it 'Natural Selection', a reference to Charles Darwin's research on the theory of evolution.
Castaway series
Perception. Creating my own world.
In the works depicted here, the island is the same, yet the backdrop of all the large industry, makes it an entirely different island all of a sudden. Seeing the background depicted, destabilizes the imaginary of the viewer. It redefines the place. The myth of paradise, which for many could be represented by a deserted tropical island, seen with this actual backdrop of the industrial world, creates a surprise of strangeness and shows the complex relationship I/we have with the real. The two worlds depicted here in the reality of the island, seem to not belong together, as they seem worlds apart.
A bold confrontation of globalisation, overturning preconceptions and stereotypes.
Based on film stills from my video work "Castaway; the island".
In the works depicted here, the island is the same, yet the backdrop of all the large industry, makes it an entirely different island all of a sudden. Seeing the background depicted, destabilizes the imaginary of the viewer. It redefines the place. The myth of paradise, which for many could be represented by a deserted tropical island, seen with this actual backdrop of the industrial world, creates a surprise of strangeness and shows the complex relationship I/we have with the real. The two worlds depicted here in the reality of the island, seem to not belong together, as they seem worlds apart.
A bold confrontation of globalisation, overturning preconceptions and stereotypes.
Based on film stills from my video work "Castaway; the island".
