shrink

source: highlike

Work: Two large, transparent plastic sheets and a device that gradually sucks the air out from between them leave the body (in this case the artist himself) vacuum-packed and vertically suspended. The transparent tube inserted between the two surfaces allows the person inside the installation to regulate the flow of air. As a result of the increasing pressure between the plastic sheets, the surface of the packed body gradually freezes into multiple micro-folds. For the duration of the performance the person inside moves slowly and changes positions, which vary from an almost embryonic position to one resembling a crucified body.

Statement: The work of Lawrence Malstaf (°1972, Bruges, Belgium) is situated on the borderline between the visual and the theatrical. He develops installation and performance art with a strong focus on movement, coincidence, order and chaos, and immersive sensorial rooms for individual visitors. He also creates larger mobile environments dealing with space and orientation, often using the visitor as a co-actor. His projects involve advanced technology as a point of departure or inspiration and as a means for activating installations.
Lawrence Malstaf is represented by Galerie Fortlaan 17 since 2001 and he has received several international awards in the field of art and new technology. He is also well known as an innovative scenographer in the dance and theater world.
In 2008 he receives the Witteveen + Bos – prize for Art + Technology (NL), in 2009 the Golden Nica at Prix Ars Electronica (A) and in 2010 the Excellence Prize at The 13th Japan Media Arts Festival in Tokyo (JP). In 2011 his project ‘Pavilion’ is selected for iMinds Art&D-call (B). To develop ‘Pavilion’, he collaborates with the Ghent University Multimedia Lab. He currently lives and works in Tromsø (Norway) and exhibits internationally.
METABOLIC SPACES: Living objects, kinetic architecture and physical interaction are characteristics of the installations by Lawrence Malstaf. His responsive environments generate theatrical situations involving the visitor as an essential presence in their dramaturgy. In a complex play with unstable order, chance and change, his machines display emotion, doubt and other human qualities.
Photographer: Dirk Pauwels
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source: fileorgbr

Abstract:
Two large, transparent plastic sheets and a device that gradually sucks the air out from between them leave the body (in this case the artist himself) vacuum-packed and vertically suspended. The transparent tube inserted between the two surfaces allows the person inside the installation to regulate the air flow. As a result of the increasing pressure between the plastic sheets, the surface of the packed body gradually freezes into multiple micro-folds. For the duration of the performance, the person inside moves slowly and changes positions, which vary from an almost embryonic position to one resembling a crucified body.
Biography:
The work of Lawrence Malstaf (born 1972) can be situated on the borderline between the visual and the theatrical. After having studied industrial design, Lawrence Malstaf starts of in theatre. He designs scenographies for choreographers and directors as Benoît Lachambre, Meg Stuart and Kirsten Delholm. Soon he develops more into installation and performance-art with a strong focus on movement, coincidence, order and chaos. In 2000 he makes a series of sensorial rooms for individual visitors (Nemo Observatorium, Mirror, Periscope/Horizon Machine). Later he creates larger mobile environments dealing with space and orientation, often using the visitor as a co-actor (Orbit, Nevel, Compass, Boreas, Transporter, Territorium). His projects often involve advanced technology as a point of departure or inspiration, but also to activate the installations. Lawrence Malstaf exhibits internationally, and in 2008 he won the Witteveen + Bos – prize for Art + Technology (NL), in 2009 he received the Golden Nica at Prix Ars Electronica (A) and in 2010 he won the Excellence Prize at the 13th Japan Media Arts Festival in Tokyo (JP). His most recent installation, “PAVILION 02011″ had its world première at Festival a/d Werf in Utrecht (NL) in May 2011.
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source: fortlaan17

The work of Lawrence Malstaf (°1972, Bruges, Belgium) is situated on the borderline between the visual and the theatrical. He develops installation and performance art with a strong focus on movement, coincidence, order and chaos, and immersive sensorial rooms for individual visitors. He also creates larger mobile environments dealing with space and orientation, often using the visitor as a co-actor. His projects involve advanced technology as a point of departure or inspiration and as a means for activating installations.
Lawrence Malstaf has received several international awards in the field of art and new technology. He is also well known as an innovative scenographer in the dance and theater world.
In 2008 he receives the Witteveen + Bos – prize for Art + Technology (NL), in 2009 the Golden Nica at Prix Ars Electronica (A) and in 2010 the Excellence Prize at The 13th Japan Media Arts Festival in Tokyo (JP). In 2011 his project ‘Pavilion’ is selected for iMinds Art&D-call (B). To develop ‘Pavilion’, he collaborates with the Ghent University Multimedia Lab.
He currently lives and works in Tromsø (Norway) and exhibits internationally.

METABOLIC SPACES
Living objects, kinetic architecture and physical interaction are characteristics of the installations by Lawrence Malstaf. His responsive environments generate theatrical situations involving the visitor as an essential presence in their dramaturgy. In a complex play with unstable order, chance and change, his machines display emotion, doubt and other human qualities.
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source: globartmag

Quante volte da bambini vi siete infilati un sacchetto di plastica in testa? Sicuramente molte, come sicuramente vostra madre o vostro padre vi avranno prontamente messo in guardia contro il terribile rischio di soffocamento o quanto altro. Ebbene, queste paure non esistono per Lawrence Malstaf, artista belga a cui è venuta l’insana quanto originale idea di infilare non solo la testa ma l’intero corpo all’interno di un sacchettone di plastica.

La sbalorditiva performance intitolata Shrink va in scena in questi giorni alla Freemason’s Hall nel corso dell’Abandon Normal Devices festival di Manchester (fino ad oggi dalle quattro alle 6 del pomeriggio) ed ha lasciato tutti gli astanti a bocca aperta. Malstaf ha infatti messo in fila alcuni volontari giunti appositamente per l’evento e poi li ha infilati all’interno di una gigante confezione di plastica creando il vuoto mediante un aspiratore, un tubo infilato all’interno del bustone permette a tutti di respirare regolarmente.

L’effetto di quel corpo sottovuoto simile ad un trancio di carne da piazzare nel frigorifero ha ovviamente divertito ma anche impressionato tutti. L’artista aveva precedentemente provato in prima persona l’assurda esperienza ed era persino riuscito a rilasciare alcune interviste ai giornalisti dei magazine accorsi in massa per ascoltare quello che aveva da dire: “Ho dovuto rilassarmi e seguire il mio corpo. All’inizio della procedura di risucchio dell’aria ho avuto un momentaneo attacco di panico, una sensazione di claustrofobia, anche perché la plastica aveva iniziato ad aderire alla mia faccia, appiattendo naso e guance, deformandola di conseguenza. Ora tutto è passato e sto bene così sospeso. Ovviamente se dovessi sentirmi male o avere attacchi di panico posso aprire facilmente una valvola e far rientrare l’aria all’interno del sacco”.

L’idea dietro la performance è quella di mostrare alle persone una situazione di minaccia ma anche di protezione e riparo allo stesso tempo. Certo detta così l’esperienza sembra terrificante ma varrebbe la pena di provare, quindi se siete dalle parti di Manchester fate tappa al Festival, potreste finire sottovuoto e magari conservarvi per bene.
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source: tumultfm

Altijd al eens deel willen zijn van een kunstproject? Dan is dit de uitgelezen kans! Lawrence Malstaf gebruikt in zijn werk, dat zich tussen visuele kunst en theater bevindt, vaak het publiek als medespelers. Zijn idee is dat de bezoeker niet enkel aan de zijlijn moet staan toekijken, maar de kunst mee helpen creëren en op deze manier volledig beleven. Zo verpakt de kunstenaar personen in vacuüm tussen twee lagen plastiek. Zijn werk thematiseert vaak beweging, toeval en de tegenstellingen tussen orde en chaos.
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source: alenarterevistawordpress

Lawrence Malstaf nació en 1972 en Brujas, Bélgica, y estudió Diseño Industrial en el instituto Henry van de Velde en Amberes, y ha expuesto en un gran número de ciudades europeas, Paris, Barcelona, Viena, Copenhague, Ámsterdam. Su obras están entre lo plástico y lo teatral; quien las visita experimenta situaciones concretas o abstractas, pero una vez que están en funcionamiento te sentirás transportado a un mundo de milagros, donde las experiencias más raras te estarán esperando.

Ya desde el primer momento Lawrence Malstaf consigue despertar la curiosidad y el interés con cada una de sus obras expuestas. En la nave central de la iglesia están dos cintas transportadoras en movimiento que me hacen pensar en las que se emplean para el equipaje en los aeropuertos, pero en lugar de maletas soy yo la que tendida de espaldas me veo reflejar en dos grandes espejos colgados encima de las cintas. Es la “máquina de relajación”, nombrada así por la inquieta y provocadora lentitud de funcionamiento de las cintas, en contraste con lo acelerado con que efectuamos cualquiera de nuestras ocupaciones diarias. Un poco más adelante se encuentra el “Observatorio Nemo”. Sentada en un sillón en el interior de un enorme cilindro transparente, pulso un botón y pongo en marcha un tornado de bolitas blancas de poliestireno. Es como sentirse en el centro de un ventarrón que gira a mi alrededor con un zumbido refinado. En otra de las naves de la iglesia, me sobresaltan los movimientos inesperados e imprevistos de una larga tira de metal que se retuerce lentamente, y que me hace imaginar un animal en acecho. Cada sonido que produce el metal se refuerza en el espacio abierto de la iglesia.
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source: mrartcn

工业设计出身的Lawrence Malstaf曾为舞台剧设计布景，因此其作品往往被认为介于视觉和戏剧之间。他运用科技让运动、协同、秩序和混乱交织在一起，提供给观众的不仅仅是感知上的分离或创意的体验，而是成为装置的一部分。他曾于2008年获得荷兰艺术+科技奖项Witteveen + Bos，于2009年获得Prix Ars Electronica的Golden Nica，并获得第13届日本东京多媒体艺术节的杰出成就奖。