Individu en Masse
The individual in droves. We can see it in the work of Marilou van Lierop, in which the individual in fact disappears in the crowd. Either merges with it, for her a fear image, because elusive and intimidating. The discrepancy between, on the one hand, the security of being part of a group and, on the other hand, the loss of control over the own autonomy, is where the artist in general from a natural need for individuality struggles with. But what encapsulates individuality, who are we separate from the masses? In the end, aren’t we the masses? A fear image for Hans van der Ham, whose figures portray that we never know for sure who or what lurks behind a figure. It keeps guessing who we are. And if we might know, how do we then relate to the other or trickier still, the others, the masses? With Individual en masse, Jaco van der Vaart, curator and artist, discusses this dilemma. One that envelops a vague area, namely that of being human.
Monique Tolk
