The Object Research Lab aims to chart the contemporary thought and approaches about objects. Finding these contact points and moments of exchange that could translate in a visual research that in itself could be made applicable to artistic practice and design.
The first working phase of the Object Research Lab took place at the M4 guest studio in Amsterdam from August 2009 to January 2010.
During this period encounters took place in a studio high up over the rooftops of Amsterdam within a constructed setting of human and non-human actors. Here Artists, Archeologists, Art objects, Pre objects, Amateur objects, Design objects, Philosophers, Sociologists and Designers have been busy formulating the necessary questions when it comes to (the future of) things. They brought in their respective skills and vulnerabilities to the Research Lab in order to find new ways of thinking with things. During and after each encounter in this series, the team at the Object Research Lab started to translate the ideas generated into three dimensional and textual forms – building up various trees, bodies and approaches to ideas of materially-engaged art practice.
Invited guests and contributors were: Emilie Gomart, Dieter Roelstraete, Clare Butcher, Klaas Kuitenbrouwer, Willem van Weelden, Sher Doruff, Hermann Pitz, Ronald van Tienhoven, Robert Stijn, Frans Poelstra, Christel Vesters, René Welker, Maartje Hoogsteyns, Tine Melzer, Kasper Andreasson, Sophie Krier, Fiona Candlin, Noortje Marres, Lucy Kimbell, Jurgen Bey, Michael Portnoy, Ann Meskens, Maartje Hoogsteyns, Nikolaus Gangsterer, Zoe Laughlin and Alexander Kraemer.
A project by Yvonne Dröge Wendel.
Location M4 guest studio, Da Costakade 158 IV, 1053 XC Amsterdam
Opening times: Thursday 28th and Friday 29th January on appointment, mail to object-1@xs4all.nl. On 30th and 31st January open from 1 pm to 8 pm. On Sunday 31st January we will serve soup and drinks around 4 pm and there will be a special presentation. The Object Research Lab will then continue to develop throughout the year 2010 on various locations. This project has been kindly supported by Fonds BKVB (The Netherlands Foundation for Visual Arts, Design and Architecture) and by M4 studio foundation.
