Dancing in The Dirt
The immersive journey of "Dancing in The Dirt," is an audio-visual installation set against the backdrop of TATA Steel, an industrial complex in IJmuiden, which is the highest polluter in the Netherland. The factory is accused of releasing heavy metals and extensive energy misuse. This installation emerges from extensive research into non-anthropocentrism and is deeply rooted in Malou van der Veld's heritage. With a personal connection to this site through her family history and upbringing, she was compelled to show a forgotten narrative – one that shifts the focus from the human-centric perspective. The installation sheds light on endangered species that have remarkably found refuge within the diverse ecosystems of this automated factory. The narrative unfolds through the voices of three distinct stakeholders: Willem, the engineer integral to the construction of the second steel furnace in 1968; Benedicte Fiqck, the lawyer at the forefront of the legal battle against the factory; and Ruud Bussink, Ecologist of TATA Complex.
Dancing in the Dirt’ was on show at het Hem, Zaandam, Van Zijll Langhout Contemporary Art, Amsterdam, Dutch Design Week, Eindhoven and ArtSect Gallery, London. Future Exhibitions include Art Island in Ijmuiden, Netherlands.
The immersive journey of "Dancing in The Dirt," is an audio-visual installation set against the backdrop of TATA Steel, an industrial complex in IJmuiden, which is the highest polluter in the Netherland. The factory is accused of releasing heavy metals and extensive energy misuse. This installation emerges from extensive research into non-anthropocentrism and is deeply rooted in Malou van der Veld's heritage. With a personal connection to this site through her family history and upbringing, she was compelled to show a forgotten narrative – one that shifts the focus from the human-centric perspective. The installation sheds light on endangered species that have remarkably found refuge within the diverse ecosystems of this automated factory. The narrative unfolds through the voices of three distinct stakeholders: Willem, the engineer integral to the construction of the second steel furnace in 1968; Benedicte Fiqck, the lawyer at the forefront of the legal battle against the factory; and Ruud Bussink, Ecologist of TATA Complex.
Dancing in the Dirt’ was on show at het Hem, Zaandam, Van Zijll Langhout Contemporary Art, Amsterdam, Dutch Design Week, Eindhoven and ArtSect Gallery, London. Future Exhibitions include Art Island in Ijmuiden, Netherlands.
