Hans van Meeuwen
Artist Email: Hans.van.Meeuwen@gmx.de
Artist Website: www.hansvanmeeuwen.com
Medium: public art, sculpture, drawings, installation art
Artist Statement
An important element in my work as an artist has not only been to make shows in exhibition-spaces but to go “outside” and work in relation with an external spot, with an architectural or natural space. I let my work play its role within, and interact with this larger environment. With that, the specific character of the environment can become a great source of inspiration to develop the artwork. I enjoy considering how to relate to the people who use the space in their daily lives and daily routines. I love to work in a situation where people will unexpectedly come upon my intervention in their surroundings, as opposed to developing sculptures for an exhibition space where people deliberately go to. It is a big challenge and a great responsibility as well.
In general, my challenge is to create images that remain in the mind – images, in the glut of what crosses before our eyes every day, which the observer will return to again and again. I seek to elicit moments of awareness in the flood of anonymity. My work may look curious at first sight, it get sometimes weird or frightening later on, and can be lovable when you think back to it afterwards. I want the observer to go through series of different emotions.
Further, I wish to appeal to the memories of the viewer. I seek to show just enough information to inspire the viewer’s own imagination. I want the viewer to fill in the artwork with his own memory, his own history. He will become personally involved with my work, as his own personal experience is evoked.
In my work, I do not teach, rather trigger a few questions. I would love to have my artwork given a few thoughts a passer-by may pick up. And with that, inspire the passer by just for a moment to think outside the box of our day to day routine mindset.