Niels van Eijk- Bobbin Lace

Domestic lighting; post B. Franklin connotes a filament surrounded by sensitive, heat-conducting glass. Niels van Eijk the Dutch artist hailing from the Netherlands is renown for their woven lighting systems, which are unquestionably spectacular. The clean seemingly simple design is highly loaded with subtext.

Plait from Fiber optics and trace meal wire the Bobbin Lace Lamp is composed of five main elements. A brief dense twist of fibers extruding from the ceiling, immediately following, a conical pan of fibers assembling a circle parallel to the ground; I aptly suspect there are exactly three-hundred-sixty-five fibers protruding from the dense braid aligning so properly to said circle. Nearly four feet of expanding knot-work connect the first ring to another nearly two hundred percent its own size.

The seemingly simple design is now creating problems in which it solves; the material handling has clearly been manipulated to appear as if it is not obeying the fundamental laws of gravity. A tighter stitch towards the center creates elegant, arabesque curvature through the visual experience thus far. Obeying gravity blindly now, the lower circle lures the viewer (with striking resemblance to methods adapted by cave glowworms). Long, thin, glowing, shiny, shimmering, delicate strands hang freely from said ring; each varying slightly in length.
Other dominant variables in the work include but are not limited to the scale of the rings parallel to the floor and the negative space created by the dynamic handling of the material; the negative space fills the object with solidity through a highly sophisticated activation of the physical space it occupies. The inescapable fact that the object at hand is radiating commands the attention not only of the viewer but the space surrounding it (again a highly sophisticated method of activation, although basic is very well considered by the artist.)

The object’s radiance and gesture also transcribes a figure, actually quite strongly, incorporates a sense of gravity, scale, and a voluptuous sensory experience. The figure is quite feminine, elegant, and curvaceous. The artist elevates the subject to a dominating position, scaled noticeably larger than life-size at nine feet, ten inches (not to mention it is literally higher than the viewer). This full body portrait is complete without all of the traditional elements however, there are no appendages (i.e. arms, legs, head)!

The fixed article holding the gesture is related to a simple, traditional dress design. A strong dialectical problem however, its glowing, and it would not be anywhere near the modest adornment it claims to be at a glance. Positioned in such a manner that one cannot walk under, to look directly up into the work, it cannot be exposed. One sees what is present but cannot experience it in any other manner than what seems to be the artists intention; again emphasizing the dominance of the subject over the viewer.

The work appears the same from every angle, it emits spherical references; one cannot help but to make the connection between Bobbin Lace Lamp (keeping in mind it is emitting photons, and radiating heat) and the Sun. The artist has now accurately presented the sun at static and transformed the viewer into a revolving planetary system, again accurately, sustaining life, and obeying the act of revolutions. The connection could be further drawn to include the dialectical conversation between women and the sun, articulating the life-granting prowess of the sun in conjunction with the act of internal child development endowed by solely women. The sun is arguably the entity within our entire galaxy that we as Earth inhabitants are most dependent upon (grass is the primary food source for more animalia than any other); we as humans are arguably most directly dependent upon women if for no other reason than the action of childbirth.

The clear curatorial goals include illustrating a severe dialectic; namely one involved with a domestic craft, specifically string-work whether it be laced, tied, sewn, rubber, cut metal with an oxyacetylene torch or even fiber-optic. The defining element tying these works together is that the subjects at hand are antithetical to the traditional use and understanding of the their placement within society, culture, and our personal experiences. Clearly, this work was exceptionally chosen as it stands to be the defining work in the show; most illustrating the intent of the curator behind the grouping of the works chosen. Two major themes expressed by the curators within the catalogue are involved with light and scale, in the presented terms, there is no work in my mind that rivals Bobbin Lace Lamp in consideration of scale and lightness.

Written by Trevor Freedland