Crosswork II
October 2021
Used shipping boxes, pigments and casein
Lutheran Church, Maastricht
This work is part of The Crossworks, an ongoing series of projects that have emerged from each other since 2021. The works have no definitive state nor form; they are always in transition. The interrelationship of color, matter, light and space is explored in this series. They are based on the fresco cycle “The History of the True Cross” by Piero della Francesca (± 1460; Arezzo, Italy).
For Crosswork II, discarded shipping boxes were painted on the inside with the colors from the workbook of Crosswork I. All colors were self-made from pigments and casein. The matte character of the paint enables the colors to contain as much of the natural light as possible. Irregularities in the paint and in the stroke were accepted, showing the traces of the hand. The colors of four of the five planes were determined by the workbook, the fifth plane being a personal choice. This gave me the opportunity to activate, harmonize or contrast the colors. The 4 raised sides provide an architectural addition, allowing light and shadow to play an even greater role. It also creates an ever-changing field of vision for the visitor who moves around and in-between the work. As a result, colors constantly enter into new relationships, both among themselves and with the surrounding space. The boxes can be presented both closed or opened, in which the visitor has the freedom to participate in the arrangement of the installation.