atelier van lieshout: excrementorium at glasstress 2011

‘excrementorium’ by joep van lieshout at glasstress 2011 image © designboom

‘excretorium,’ a work by joep van lieshout of rotterdam-based design practice atelier van lieshout is currently on display at glasstress 2011, a collateral event of the venice art biennale 2011. having gained worldwide recognition for his mobile home installations, the artist continuously confounds distinctions between design and art, structure and sculpture: both themes of self-sufficiency and interdisciplinarity are reflected in this glass reconstruction of a waste system.

created specifically for this exhibition, the project was the artist’s first time using glass. the material was shaped into hollow and transparent shapes, connected with clay forms that were supported by tape as they solidified. ‘I am always used to making my own sculptures, whether its steel or wood or fiberglass,’ says van lieshout. ‘this is the first time that you are not allowed to touch the material, or you don’t have the skill to do something with the material, so that’s a very strange experience for me, but also very challenging.’ 

image © designboom

image © designboom

detail image © designboom

a short interview with van lieshout

glasstress is a collateral event of the 54th international venice biennale, now in its second year after debuting in 2009. conceived by adriano berengo, the exhibition collaborates with contemporary artists and designers from around the world to showcase their talent and creative expressions. the biennale and its collateral events are on view until november 27, 2011.