Loop eens verder, slimme Ricky (Keep moving, smart Ricky)

One trait that characterizes Gert Robijns’ work is the constant calling into question of our perception. ‘What am I perceiving?’ and ‘Is it real?’. These questions form a focal point of Robijns’ work, which subtly toys with the expectations of the observer and continually explores the boundaries of our reality. Additionally, his work often combines serious research into the fine-tuning of human patterns of expectation with a playful and humorous manipulation of our human perception.

For this project, Robijns constructed a simple and elegant glass building in a leafy part of the Bouwhuis property. The various attributes contained within the work seem to lead a life of their own and the colorful interior of this longitudinal and seemingly transparent pavilion is automatically activated when one passes it. This causes a whole range of objects to move past each other, including colored drapes, a selection of garments, a bunch of sticks, a broom, a wiper etc. as well as ‘art works’ created by the Bouwhuis residents themselves.

The constant slow speed with which the objects move results in a series of constantly changing visual perceptions as, each minute, one becomes witness to a new composition of forms and colors. Furthermore, the pavilion has been lit with pure white fluorescent lighting; however the right section of the structure also features a solitary yellow light bulb. This spot of light ascends and descends at its own pace and occasionally disappears silently in a hole in the vanity table.

The understated dynamics that this work by Gert Robijns displays, entice the Bouwhuis residents to closely observe everything that takes place behind the glass panes. In this way, they become the audience members of a small theatrical performance that stars the abovementioned artifacts, some of which have been have been made by the residents themselves. Lastly, Robijn once overheard a person viewing one of his works tell another person to “Keep moving, smart Ricky”. Robijn found this prompt to be so meaningful that he chose to use it as a title for this particular work.