About
Kevin Bauer's work plays with the visual language of practical functionality and establishes a clear relationship with the contemporary visual language of industrial design, architecture and construction. He addresses sculptural issues of form versus function, use of materials and aesthetics. This is the basis of the work, from which he explores diverse themes as mass production, space travel, archaeology and visions of the future. From substantive research into the various themes, he researches material and form, from which the work ultimately emerges. The substantive research is an important link in the process, helping to make better sense of choices and strengthening the content of the work.
By working in series, he provides himself with the space to deal with these different subjects separately. These series then provide the context for each other. It is important that borrowed forms and reproduced objects remain recognizable because they must have an immediacy of communication. You know somewhat what you are looking at because you recognize it; there is a level of confidence generated by the collective visual memory we have of practical things. With his work, for example, he asks whether what we make can be separated from its practical purpose, examining the aesthetic properties of these objects.
Efficiency and production sophistication characterize the artificiality of our time. He currently emphasizes the contrast between artificiality and natural processes: the manufacturability of the things that surround us create an artificial perception of our existence. Natural processes such as erosion and aging undermine this perception. The idea of social engineering - born of the belief in progress - is finite. It inevitably decays, to make way for a new era with new ideologies.
That, for him, is where the tension lies: the continuous progress that is inseparable from its dark side. The visible, confrontational breakdown that time holds.
Education
2004 - 2008 CIBAP Vakcollege, Zwolle (The Netherlands) Graduated
2009 - 2013 AKI ArtEZ, Enschede (The Netherlands) Graduated
Contact
info[at]kevin-bauer[dot]com
Studio at Maakhaven, the Hague - www.maakhaven.nl