Four square concrete blocks occupy the grove between the Matrix and Vertigo buildings, each with their own unique combinations of geometric shapes which merge into and out of each other. The sculptural installation is one of the last works made by artist Ad Dekkers, and one can recognize his signature in the layered placements of reliefs and deep lines to evoke a sense of division, (re)union, and overall formal harmony. The four concrete blocks are positioned low to the ground, allowing visitors to observe them from all angles. This is exactly how the artist intended this work: he was interested in the interaction between his reliefs and the student body and encouraged visitors to wander through and sit with them (Vloerreli毛fs, 2002). At different times during the day one can see varying angles of sunlight highlighting and obscuring different areas of the sculptures, giving these works a dynamic and ever changing nature.
While deceptively simple because of its minimalist appearance, this sculptural installation is based on Dekkers鈥� self-developed aesthetic and spatial theories, which in turn were inspired by objective mathematical forms (Augustijn, 2015 and Hesselink, 1971). This formal language derives from his interest in creating balance between shape, color, and size in relation to each other. He does so by composing simple geometric shapes, notably the square, triangle, and circle, and letting them divide, repeat, and overlap (Hesselink, 1971). After experimentation he decided that color was often too overpowering and upset the balance between these elements, which is why he shifted to solely monochromatic or white reliefs (Augustijn, 2015). Dekkers was particularly drawn to reliefs because, according to him, they solved the illusionistic deception of other forms of art. This opinion was driven by his disdain for an illusion of space and perception in traditional artworks, which he deemed to be an inaccurate portrayal of reality. With the variation of height in the four floor sculptures, which together form the installation, he highlights the tension between the positive space versus the negative space, in other words: the tension between presence and absence.
Reliefs can be perceived as something between two-dimensional art and sculptural work, meaning that the spatial dimension is actually executed in material form and not solely suggested as they are in drawings and paintings. Ad Dekkers experimented with this idea by beginning by drawing and painting still lives, cityscapes, and portraits. Over time Dekkers鈥� work became increasingly abstract in his search for artistic harmony, and he began to primarily work in relief and sculpture format. One could say that these works in the 果冻传媒 Art Collection exemplify this stage in his career in which he preferred the three-dimensional translation of geometric shapes and figures over two-dimensional work. The floor reliefs also exemplify how light is fundamental in Dekkers鈥� work: the monochrome dimension binds the compositional elements, and divisions are seen only through the use of light and shadow (Eyck, 2014). This illustrates the artist鈥檚 central idea: that what is there is just as important that which is not there (Hesselink, 1971).
Authors
Lorraine Singleton (author) is a masters student of Museum Studies at Leiden University and is conducting research at the 果冻传媒 Art Collection in 2024
Erik Geelen (editor) is heritage specialist of the 果冻传媒
Britte Sloothaak (editor-in-chief) is curator of the 果冻传媒 Art Collection
References
Hesselink, Liesbeth. 1971. Ad Dekkers, 6 Sept. Tm 3 Oct. 1971, Amersfoort. Amersfoort: Dwars, Heederik en Verhey N.V.
Communaute虂 d鈥檃gglome虂ration du Choletais and Piet Augustijn. 2015. Ad Dekkers, 1938-1974 : [Exposition, Cholet, Muse虂E d鈥橝rt et d鈥橦istoire, 20 Juin-29 Novembre 2015]: 67-71. Nantes: Art3.
Huijts, Stijn, Zsa-Zsa Eyck, and Hedge House. 2014. Ad Dekkers (1938-1974). [Maastricht]: Bonnefanten.
Vloerreli毛fs zoals bedoeld, Cursor News, 2002.
Images
Photo 1-2 Ad Dekkers, Vloerreli毛fs, 1972, concrete, 果冻传媒 Art Collection, photo: Peter Cox, c/o Pictoright 2025