Van Schoonhoven series 2021 -2025
Am, i an object?
With the film project "Am I, an object," artist Benjamin Francis delves into the blurring boundaries between the body and the object. The project takes place place in a funeral home wherin he explores subjects such as funeral care, death rituals, and the hierarchical relationship between the artist and his sculpture. The film employs satire, humorously questioning concepts such as authorship, originality, and value.
During the film, two performers are presented as sculptures, their bodies manipulated and moved by the artists. But conflict arises when discussions emerge about who is the most original - the artist or his creation?
While performing as art sculptures, the performers will present texts based on lyrics of funeral hymns. The lyrics are constructed through errors occurring in mistranslations to English and through disparities between English and non-English language hymns.
Francis found this process of lyric-making significant as it questions meaning-making and authenticity. What does it mean for something to be original? When we think of mourning processes and discussions of death, we often insist on stressing the departed’s individuality, what makes them special, one of a kind.
Closet of memories
Closet of Memories” is a sculpture created alongside his performance project Am I, an Object?, where the artist explored themes of decay and death rituals, particularly within the context of Surinamese culture. Inspired by the custom of placing salt in the homes of the deceased to ward off bad spirits, this work reflects on how domestic objects and rituals are used to standardize and control the human body. The installation features mirrored cabinets, modeled after archival storage units, but crafted from glass and mirror. Inside, the cabinets are filled with Vaseline and whitened tree trunks and branches. The whitening process, reminiscent of agricultural whitewashing used to protect trees, also references Surinamese death rituals where white is used to neutralize objects and create boundaries between the living and the dead.
Deathbed
“Deathbed” is a tribute to the timeless rituals surrounding the journey from life to the unknown. A slatted bottom made from the same twigs tells of bodies intertwined in rest, pondering the fleeting connections we share and the enduring strength of love in the face of decay.
The film: Am i, an object
Teaser
