Love and Happiness
Almere is a young city, created 25 years ago. It is a fast-growing city. At this point in time, it is the 4th biggest city in Holland. Almere struggles with its city identity and its size. What does it mean to be a city? What identities does a city need to feel like a fully-fledged city?
At the heart of the project of Bik Van der Pol for the Paviljoens in Almere lies the concept of this struggle, as is the notion of the Almere citizen as a pioneer, adventurer and house owner.
Love and Happiness
The site-specific project project Love and Happiness reflects this double sidedness.
Every evening the space underneath the exhibition building of De Paviljoens is lit with red light, continuing beyond opening hours, thus transforming the space into a potential meeting place, a venue for a rendez - vous, or a hang out (and actually used as such).
Inside, a carousel with four compartments is constructed, each part relating to aspects of settling down on the one hand, and dreaming, longing, and escape on the other. The caroussel can be used to sit, talk, read, re-arrange, or stare out of the windows as it slowly turns, thus exposing the visitor, and functioning as a look-out.
Love and Happiness is a solo show. Besides these two new works, previous projects (The Kitchen Piece, The Bookshop Piece, The Shower Piece, Absolut Stockholm, Capsule Hotels, and Birds) were re-installed, sometimes as fragments, taking into consideration the difference between actual installation and demonstrating a 're-view'.
The light piece is acquired by De Paviljoens for its collection.
Every evening the space underneath the exhibition building of De Paviljoens is lit with red light, continuing beyond opening hours, thus transforming the space into a potential meeting place, a venue for a rendez - vous, or a hang out (and actually used as such).
Inside, a carousel with four compartments is constructed, each part relating to aspects of settling down on the one hand, and dreaming, longing, and escape on the other. The caroussel can be used to sit, talk, read, re-arrange, or stare out of the windows as it slowly turns, thus exposing the visitor, and functioning as a look-out.
Love and Happiness is a solo show. Besides these two new works, previous projects (The Kitchen Piece, The Bookshop Piece, The Shower Piece, Absolut Stockholm, Capsule Hotels, and Birds) were re-installed, sometimes as fragments, taking into consideration the difference between actual installation and demonstrating a 're-view'.
The light piece is acquired by De Paviljoens for its collection.
