Afbeelding
11 oktober 2023
Joep van Lieshout: 'use the hammer wisely'
For the fifth presentation of the Piket Art Awards in 2018, Atelier Van Lieshout created ‘lifelike’ Piket posts made of bronze and aluminum. “It’s about moving forward. You’re driving a post in the ground and marking a territory,” said artist Joep van Lieshout at the time. “It’s a milestone in your career.” In 2023, the award, which is handed out annually to all nominees and winners, will undergo a change. Atelier Van Lieshout is creating a new, recurring award called "The Hammer" starting this year. A hammer to drive in that post? Yes, also. But Van Lieshout mainly sees the hammer as a tool for change. And that’s why it’s important to use the hammer wisely.
Stone age model
Atelier Van Lieshout, which has been producing work since 1995 at the intersection of visual art, design, and architecture, is a place where, both literally and figuratively, the hammer is wielded. Visionary and provocative elements are combined with a multidisciplinary exploration of functionality and sustainability. Atelier Van Lieshout doesn’t shy away from any challenge, and is internationally recognized and acclaimed.
In a quiet part of the impressive warehouse in Rotterdam where the atelier is located, Joep van Lieshout explains his design. “You can do a lot with a hammer. A hammer can be a murder weapon, a tool of war. But it’s also, of course, an essential piece of equipment. Think of mining. The hammer is actually at the beginning of the industrial revolution. Then there’s also the judge’s gavel and the chairman’s hammer. The hammer is a tool for change.” On the table in front of him lie three examples of the new annual Piket award. A wooden handle, a brick head; sort of a Stone Age model, really. “Yes, this hammer is fragile,” laughs Van Lieshout. “There’s a contradiction in that.”
‘A little failure isn’t bad’
That calls for an explanation. “An artist is always at the beginning of something. The artist is essentially a changer, someone who resists, someone who stands against things,” says Van Lieshout. The idea of the hammer as a tool for change fits with this. But the fragility carries a call for reflection. “Use the hammer wisely. Nurture and grow your intuition. Don’t be afraid to follow it and trust it. Do everything yourself. Screw up, experiment. Fall on your face. A little failure isn’t bad. From mistakes, extraordinary things arise.”
Joep van Lieshout sees it clearly: the hammer, when used wisely, is a tool with which you can make things happen. It’s not just a worthy symbol for the Piket Art Awards, but even something that can represent everything called ‘artistry.’
Text: Anna Beerens
Photos: Dana LaMonda
