(IM)PERMANENT
Project details
- Year
- 2023
- Programme
- Bachelor – Illustration
- Practices
- Honours Programme
- Minor
- Visual Culture
Two sculptures and embossings are a part of an ongoing artwork series entitled (IM)PERMANENT exploring ways to visualise liminality through the notion of post-digital ruins. Inspired by the works of Federico Campagna, in which he theories about how the metaphysical notion of the West may be ending and that the culture creators find themselves in a unique position to create works that can serve as fertile ruins for the post-future adolescents from which they can create their own world.
“Idol 1” and “Idol 2” seek to illustrate the fluidity of contemporary identity and the culture of Rotterdam by merging traditional iconography and archetypes with advanced digital techniques. The iconographic symbolism featured in this work strives to explore the ambivalences of present-day identity; by emphasising both a reflection of the past and a search for a new form of self-realisation. Its purpose further develops the notion of modern-day liminality, providing a window into a speculative future whilst simultaneously evoking the death of the traditional deity-image.
The sculptures are crafted from upcycled materials, with imagery inspired by the Zbruch Idol and the artists’ previous ‘Blok’ painting series. “Idol 1” and “Idol 2” seek to open a dialogue amongst the local population and offer a window into a speculative future. This artwork was commissioned to be displayed during the Motel Mozaique Festival in 2023 and was subsequently featured in group exhibitions at de Hillevliet and Baanhof gallery. By merging the reflection of the past with a search for a new form of self-realisation, Idol evokes the death of the traditional deity-image while simultaneously providing an insightful examination of modern-day identity structure.
