Wessel Verrijt

Wessel Verrijt (1992, Lierop NL, currently based in The Hague, NL) explores in his work the boundary between the “living” and the “non-living,” seeking to soften this often rigid divide and create new connections between the two. By combining sculptural work with performance, Verrijt create “hybrid entities” where performers and sculptures merge, transforming static materials into active participants.

These performances are characterized by slow, repetitive movements, with the “hybrid entities” carefully sensing their environment. The interplay between the sculptures and the performers’ outstretched arms and legs evokes everyday behaviors, emotions, rituals, and interactions. Each sculpture assumes its own role, defined by its specific possibilities and limitations.

Drawing inspiration from folklore and myths entwined with ecological phenomena, Verrijt examines the intersection of human perception and ecological cycles. By examining phenomena like fairy rings through the lens of ancient stories, he juxtapose the magical status and reverence for nature found in these narratives with the current era of ecological imbalance, where everything is treated as a commodity for capitalistic and consumerist profit.