Willem Besselink's work mostly takes the form of performative installation. Though a brief glance at the stills depicts the more typical inert installation, on closer inspection the immensity of its performative aspect is exposed.
Besselink's works are created and developed during a set time period, and within a set space. The playful concept that underlines most of his pieces involves the artist as arbitrator and members of the public as pawns on a game board. He uses the viewers to create the work by recording their movements; registering their position within the space at certain set intervals. Whether the viewer's participation is active or passive in these incidents is irrelevant; just by being present in a designated space they are conforming to the artist's will. Even how the viewer chooses to respond is irrelevant - for any form of activity or inactivity will still produce a result, leaving the artist as arbitrator, in control.
The effect of this is something quite beautiful; equally spontaneous and constrained. The artist is captivated by the notion of rules and regularities; after defining a set of procedural rules to define form from, he attempts to capture the impulsive. Is it ever possible to confine the limitless in a structured frame? More significantly, Besselink's work at the same time questions the existence of this structured frame. The end result of this process highlights the arbitrariness of all aspects of life.
Besselink graduated in fine arts from Willem de Kooning Academy Rotterdam in 2006.
If you would like to find out more about Willem Besselink's work and make contact with the artist click here to go straight through to his profile page on Your Gallery.
Charlotte McLaughlin
Charlotte McLaughlin is a writer based in London. She also takes photos and makes art. She studied art in London and then social anthropology at Edinburgh University. Her honours dissertation was based on contemporary Indian art.
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