Univocally, 2012

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Univocally. 

In many ways the bells project 'Univocally' is a sequel to the Pietà I 'received' for my first solo exhibition SOLO: the maker ain't so lonely as before in Het Concertgebouw in 2010. It also builts on my interest in ceramics. This series of Russian made porcelain bells is about the precarious relationship between the viewer and the maker. 'Univocally, 2012' is not just another souvenir-styled gift. The title of the project describes my artistic desire to go into an existing production. Univocally is about the different trades within one process, working together to produce a single object, driven by perhaps a single purpose. The word univocally also responds to the sound of a bell, whether or not these seven casts ever will sound in unison. Six of seven sculpted, moulded and cast pieces will be handpainted in the little workshop (in Krasnodar, Russia) in which I have worked and intiated this project, concluding a period of two motnth work, now almost a year ago. The calm and collected voice of all who participated was suddenly threatened, breaking any claimes of my utopic 'artistic' ideals. Divorce, disagreements and a threatening closure of the workshop, all endangered the precarious voice that was to enchant the viewer the moment it was finished. 

Now, almost a year later, the project is finally nearing completion. Revealing more and more of the importance to work together in unison in order to produce the desired outcome. The time it took encompassed lots of changes in the design of the bell and redefinitions of the project. What didn’t change was the title, which appeared, just like the bell, to be a beacon and a form of meditation. Just like 'SOLO' in 2010, the anticipated result of this collected effort may suprise each and everyone of us and might start a whole new story of it's own.

Univocally, 2012 is a project by Gerb95, Krasnodar and Christian van der Kaap with the support of Marina Elenskaya, connecting not only our difference in views but also the stretch in language. 

C.I.N.V.U, 2012

C.I.N.V.U magazine about loneliness, first released the 27th of June 2012.

On Sunday, July 1 at 12:00 pm at Athenaeum Nieuwscentrum on the Spui we will present C.I.N.V.U, a magazine about loneliness. The magazine and its presentation is a work of Christian van der Kaap (1989). For this presentation a large number of participants will attend and you are very welcome to come and witness!

An artwork in the form of a magazine about loneliness, that is C.I.N.V.U (pronounced: See I envy you). It started with an open call asking people to contribute to an 'image' (Dutch: beeld) of loneliness through texts, images, songs and messages of support. Not intended as an argument for or against loneliness, but rather to get an idea what loneliness can show us. The form of the magazine also contributes to that. Showing us the actuality but also our impermanence, a pile of glossy stapled paper reflecting our intrinsic desire.

However the magazine is only truly remarkable because of the countless contributions we received after putting out the call. Artists, photographers, writers, musicians and other makers appeared to grasp it's meaning, almost to the point of taking it for granted. It seems, the chasm of misunderstanding that is so characteristic of loneliness suddenly seemed to be bridged. Like never before showing the strong need to share solitude with everyone else

In this first issue of C.I.N.V.U, people from different generations look backwards and forwards to see what loneliness did or might do to them. Yet the magazine seems inadequate in asking the actual question what is really at stake between its creators and readers. It is this unbridgeable actuality that compels us to ask the same question over and over again. It may be clear that with this single issue the question won't be resolved. The hope, urgency, timeliness and the future of loneliness that arise from the first issue is asking for a sequel.

C.I.N.V.U is a 68 pages full-color glossy, published and distributed with the imprint of Medium by MER Paper Kunsthalle in Ghent. The circulation of the magazine is 2500 and lies in store for € 6.95.

Get the magazine online at: http://www.merpaperkunsthalle.org/projects/view/656

www.cinvu.nl

Freedom / Vulnerability, 2012

A marriage between Christian Albert Lucien van der Kaap, born 25.04.2989 in Enschede and Marina Elenskaya, 07/16/1983 born in Krasnodar, Russia in the English Reformed Church of the Begijnhof in Amsterdam 11.00 gather, 11.30 service

Making public that I was going to marry my girlfriend, people in my surrounding responded to telling us they wanted to be a part of it. A strange reaction in our opinion, because isn't marriage usually a bond between two people? Is the public present not merely a witness and apart from that share no active role in this. Why then their spontaneous reaction? I can only say how much I appreciate it and how it has inspired me as an artist to look at what this commitment means. How can our intimate promise inspire a community?

The 5th of may, Dutch liberation day it will be about belonging. Behind the busy Spui square, we will join in the Begijnhof to gather in silence. We let others speak, present and play to help us shape our intimate bond. It’s about freedom and vulnerability.

With: Margriet van der Kooi, Rory Pilgrim, UNDA foundation, Raphael Langmaier, Elsbeth Ciesluk, Isfrid Angard Siljehaug, and others

Univocally, 2012

Univocally, the project we are working on hard to complete just got sponsored by the Materiaalfonds and Stichting Stokroos.

Dichtbij.nl

Taken from a billboard in Russia, where neither word nor letter looked familiar, this striking but unidentifiable logo of a company seems to bear a universal language. The action portrayed by the stylized hands seems as though its promoting a symbolic but ambiguous gesture from a maker to a receiver. The receiver present in the logo seems to gladly acknowledge the wholehearted gesture. The viewer on the other hand, invited to witness this transaction, remains uncertain of its significance. I liberated this image from it's original context and delivered it to the dutch website www.dichtbij.nl [English: 'nearby'] a website directing its visitors to local news and advertisements by use of their given postal codes. The website agreed to place this logo for a short amount of time on every page regardless of the visitors present location. Exploring the notion of empathy between a sender vs. receiver and a local vs. universal context.

Univocally, 2012

The presentation Univocally is an investigation into the ethics of cooperation and a reflection on contemporary crafts. Finally not ambiguous and multi-interpretable title. Since my first solo exhibition (SOLO: the maker ain't so lonely as before, 2010) I have aimed to produce work conducted by others. Driven by the theme of loneliness, I have invited craftsmen to make work attributed to an insecure and unfamiliar situation. The voice of the craftsman which has become known as merely executive, is asked to reassert itselves in the arts and towards the viewer. The open dialogue between artist and maker produces an unpredictable voice that appeals to the public even though it might not be fully understood. As a result of an intimate collaboration in which I restored an old mould for a porcelain producer in Krasnodar, Russia a series of seven (of which six hand painted) bells are created. 'Univocally' expresses their understanding of the production process, where all employees are required to look in the same direction in order to deliver a successful product. Indicating my desire as an artist to enter into an existing production, we speak from one mouth and explore the form and sound of a bell. As a result, various voices inside and outside the arts together create a single presentation. A sound for those who like to relate to art but are uncertain about their contribution.

More Soon...

Vernacular Sculpture, 2011

Title: Height, Date of original production: 1960

Title: Girl sculpts a dove, Date of original production: unknown

Title: golden ass, Date of original production: 1964


During my residency in Krasnodar, Russia I got in contact with a small porcelain sculpture facility in the area. In difficult economical times the large porcelain sculpture factory 'Чайка' was forced to close. Well known for their objects for domestic use. Depicting leisuring workers, mothers and known stories. These guys got their hands on some of the old moulds left outside the factory. We agreed on a collaboration, in which they allowed me produce a new sculpture based on one of these master molds.

More Soon!

Evening talk 03/07: How sculpture can support us?

"Christian van der Kaap will give an evening talk on the 3rd of July 2011 from 9-10 PM in the Zolder Museum. For reservations please contact zoldermuseum@gmail.com"

http://www.zoldermuseum.com/wordpress/?p=77

When you sell the stuff you're fixing, 2011

When you sell the stuff you're fixing (sneak preview)

18/06 03/07 ZOLDER MUSEUM www.zoldermuseum.com

Opening 18/06 20:30

Special Thanks to:

_David Kaus and Denis French of the National Museum of Australia, Melbourne. For replying to my every enquiry about the 'interactive object from the indigenous section intended to give visitors some experience in using grinding stones.' (www.nma.gov.au)

_Ewa Perlejewska of Olctyn, Poland - Ceramist, Porcelain specialist

_Lanfranco Sernesi from Monaco Metropolitano of Florence, Italy. Traditional solutions to the contemporary needs of workers, students and travelers counting on the research for harmony to resolve any apparent contradiction (www.monacometropolitano.com)

_Mark Palmans from Atelier L'ombelico, Neerpelt, Belgium - Letterpress, roadsignals, cavedrawings, 3d chrome, afro art, references, contact (www.letterzetter.be)

When you sell the stuff you're fixing
Coming soon
18/06 - 03/07

Zolder museum
Www.zoldermuseum.com

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Leer, 2011

As a succession to the SOLO project I visited Florence, Italy with the plan to make a fine leather apron with a craftsman. Accepting it as a gift I promised to commit myself to making again. I got captivated by the craft and the transformation of leather over time. I decided to order two 'identical' aprons. One made for wearing, the other for presenting.

The Guardian, 2011

I presented a number of works in the context of an evaluation at the academy. Another attempt the curate works in an exhibition. Each student invited up to five experts. An expert of your work can be a good friend, colleague from work, one you always wanted to show what you're up to or someone who works in a completely different discipline, but whose natural authority bridges that gap. These people are approached as exclusive guests of the exhibition. Making it into a special chance give ones work away in confidence. Given my interest in asking people to do things for me, I have seized this opportunity to invite my experts to speak about the history of sculpture in accordance to my work. In response to this invitation, they will became part of the work "The Guardian, 2011"

Opening 16th february 16.30. On show till 18.02.2011 in the exhibition 'And by the way, this picture has great significance because... in the KABK gallery

All the single ladies, 2011

An onyx sculpture made for carrying in your pocket.

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It's a pity he's ugly, otherwise I'd marry him

During the presentation of your work in a group, there are always works you hate or are ashamed of sharing the same space with. Sometimes it is the space itself that destroys your work completely. Willy-nilly, you learn to make your work so that it can withstand this inevitable evil. In this exhibition, artist entrusted the presentation of their work to their fellow artists. From this grows a love relationship from which something is created that no longer is fully part of them. Amid the (fertile) voltage between curating and creating, these works are exhibited.   

29.01.2011 In the Royal Gallery, Royal Academy of Fine Arts, The Hague

Ana Lemnaru for Pernille Lonstrup
Christian van der Kaap for Iva Supic Jankovic
Christian van der Kaap for Aimee Zito Lema
Eva Pel for Iva Supic Jankovic
Isfrid Siljehaug for Eva Pel
Iva Supic Jankovic for Sara Campos
Kaja Wie van der Pas for Laure van den Hout
Kristina Benjocki for Robin Waart
Laure van den Hout for Kaja Wie van der Pas
Miguel Peres dos Santos for Ana Lemnaru
Miguel Peres dos Santos for Kristina Benjocki
Pernille Lonstrup for Isfrid Siljehaug
Robin Waart for Phil Bosch
Robin Waart for Christian van der Kaap

Robin Waart for Christian van der Kaap

Pure M, carved out chocolate letter, 2010

Pure M, 2010

Pure M, 2010 (carved out chocolate letter 'M'  presented in box)

as a gift for Marina Elenskaya

1:21

For a little girls' first birthday

SOLO

Presentation of the work in Het Concertgebouw.
Pictures by Kristina Benjocki / Maurijn Rouwet

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SOLO: the maker ain't so lonely as before

For my first solo exhibition after the end exam I had agreed on making a commissioned work to be exhibited for only two hours during a musical performance in the Kleine Zaal of the Concertgebouw. After struggling to live up to the expectation of my commissioner, I forwarded my assignment to an Italian craftsman in the form of an open invitation. The letter sent contained almost no indications of how the object should look or feel. The only specific requirement mentioned when I wrote: 'The object is not meant for the celebration of a particular event or happening, but it wouldn't hurt if the object shows a certain sensitivity. A lot of people may find themselves lonely, if a work in space would have no reason. '

The object finally presented was delivered one day before its exhibition by the Florentine maker Fabrizio Tani. The letter sent was published in a dedicated brochure for the exhibition (see images). That day on the stage of the Concertgebouw the commissioner, the artist, the maker and the sculpture itself, finally met each other for the first time. The work called: SOLO: the maker ain't so lonely as before

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No Country for Old Men

An experimental glossy magazine about making dough. Consisting of a photo shoot where I asked two young fellow artists to knead dough in the bakery before the dawn. Zooming in on the physical aspects of making as moulding and re-moulding material. Reflecting on the time of preparation of the academy which would eventually lead to the professional side of "making dough" known in the English language as making money. These photographs spanned the timeline (beginning to end) of the magazine which was further filled with text contributions from close friends about making, craft and loneliness. The enigmatic title meant to propagate non-conformity to any given age, any given trade and any given place.

20.0 x 18.0 cm 40p. Edition of 500 free editions presented at Gerrit Rietveld Academy 07/2010.

some people will actually tell you what is they aim to do to you and when they do you might want to listen

for Marina Elenskaya