THE TRADITION OF A HOUSE
‘Journey back to the first traces of a foundation’
The tradition of a house – Breukelen 1996-1997
On the way to my studio in Vinkeveen, I came upon any empty house. I was fascinated by its simplicity and heard that it was going to be demolished. The owner gave me permission to do whatever I wanted to. This experimental search would become the basis of my future work.
The laboratory, 1996 – During the first year I experimented in all sorts of ways. I drew what I saw outside as a panorama on the walls. It seemed like the walls were transparent and the house could dissolve just like that. I pulled the outside world into the attic by drilling a couple of holes. A Camera Obscura was created, projecting images of tree tops, the clouds and a ladder on the attic floor. The dismantling of the shed provided a large amount of scrap wood with which I built a perspective like river of material. During this work I came up with the idea of demolishing the house.
The anatomical lesson as a return trip, 1997 – I involved a group of artists during the dismantling. We made a trip back to the first traces of a plan. The chimney was the last thing standing and was cremated. In fact, this was the first ritual, which I ever carried out.
Funding Fonds BKVB, Amsterdams fonds voor de Kunst, Anjerfonds, VSB Cultuurfonds, Fentener van Vlissingen Fonds, Provincie Utrecht, Carel Nengerman Fonds, St. Josine de Bruyn Kops, Voorzieningsfonds voor Kunstenaars. Initiative, concept and production Ida van der Lee. Participating artists: Marcel Blekendaal, Francine Claassen, Radina Dankova, Alexandra Engelfriet, Marjan Genot, Petra Gerritsen, Gerda Kruimer, Linda Meulenhoff , Mark Met, Jessica Panhuijsen, Anne Porskamp, Chris Ros, Renée Ridgeway, Paul Reintjes, Jan Schot, Peet Verrijn Stuart. Photography Paul Gofferjé, Ida van der Lee, Tjeerd Maas. Video Farshad Afzali, Paul Reintjes. Flyer Bianca Koevoets. Publication Tjeerd Maas. Text Leo Delfgaauw, Michael van Hoogenhuyze, Ton Verstegen.