About
I design public interventions along the faultlines and breaking points of our (political) landscape where social injustices, conflicts or ecological problems come to light. Within my site-specific and interdisciplinary practice, I use art to contribute to the social and ecological re-imagining of these exploited places by introducing a process in which local cultural and archeological objects and/or social phenomena, such as rituals, are being used to recreate a sense of belonging. By uncovering hidden historical layers and through the recontextualization of local materials, such as as buildings, monuments, sculptures or archival material, the works seek to point towards a spatial interconnectivity and time continuum that runs counter to the disruptive nature of modernism.
The projects take the form of highly context-specific investigations, developed in close collaboration with local stakeholders and experts, wherein form, function, medium and even the titles follow the context in which a work is situated. My goal is to bring politics back in the public sphere and test the (im)possibilities of alternative ideas that question the existing hegemony. Due to the extreme degradation of the public sphere and its democratic representations, I feel a necessity to work in public space and to oppose regressive tendencies within our societies. Instead of presenting finished works that preach to the choir inside an institutional framework I try to allow for an open production process with the aim to engage a diverse nonspecialised audience. By producing works on site, passersby see the work grow over time and thus get a chance to get involved and express their ideas. This feedback is often directly used within the works themselves.
For contact: wouterosterholt@gmail.com
Generously supported by the Mondriaan Fund (2022 – 2026)
