Gerrit Rietveld Academie
Entrance Exam Assignment #2 by Johannes Holt-Iversen
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
March - April 2016
Process
In this assignment I wanted to let go on paint, though I started the process by investigating various materials painting them, my initial understanding often starts through paint and colour. This opened up for its materiality which let to various experiments. The life jacket became a material itself, I molded it as if it was a conventional material such as clay. As new forms appeared I was eager to experiment with the nuances within materials. Nylon became the main material which had several functions both as wrapping material and the material being wrapped. The life jackets is a symbol of all abandoned it is the symbol of what is left behind. The wall piece can be seen as a stone carved out of the mountain of life jackets. The string gives another dimension to it, boat fenders are hanged by one or two ropes. When a boat enters the harbour, boat fenders are usually pushed in front to prevent any damage of the boat itself when going in land. The floor piece symbolizes the abandonment of the human. The size and distance from the wall piece indicates the alienation and loneliness. The shadow it cast resembles with the head of a child.
