about the artist
Pim. VAN NUNEN, WOOLLAHRA SMALL SCULPTURE FINALIST 2019, Tom bass sculpture prize finalist 2020 and 2022, WAS BORN IN THE NETHERLANDS IN 1969. HE WORKS PREDOMINANTLY IN THE MEDIUM OF SCULPTURE. HE RECEIVED A BA GRAPHIC DESIGN (1990) FROM THE UNIVERSITY GRAPHIC LYCEUM, AMSTERDAM A MA VISUAL ARTS (1993) FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS, UTRECHT. SINCE 2010 HE HAS LIVED AND WORKED IN SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA. HIS BODY OF WORK EXPLORES HIS FASCINATION FOR LOSS, MIGRATION, AND THE UNCERTAINTY OF LIFE-AFTER-DEATH. THE CONCEPT OF THE HUMAN DESIRE TO LIVE AS LONG AS POSSIBLE MAINTAINS AN ILLUSORY SENSE OF IMMORTALITY, TO BELIEVE IN A FUTURE THAT LASTS FOREVER. THIS PERSONAL JOURNEY OF ART EXPRESSIONS IS DRIVEN BY HIS HIS FATHER PASSING AWAY ON APRIL 4TH 1971 AT THE AGE OF 31. HIS AUTHENTIC AESTHETIC IS DEFINED BY discarded debris, found by SCAVENGING THE STREETS. the character of TATTERED CLOTHS AND STAINED FABRICS, OLD TIMBER, VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPHS CAPTURE THE SUFFERING, PAIN, GRIEF AND MOURNING OF PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCING THE LACK OF BELONGING. inspired by artists like Christo, boltanski, kiefer and salcedo, He turns them into expressions of beautiful decay.
pimvannunen@gmail.com | +61 451 117 017
artist statement
MY WORK EXPLORES MY FASCINATION FOR MIGRATION and departures, THE UNCERTAINTY OF LIFE-AFTER-MIGRATION AND LIFE-AFTER-DEATH. THE CONCEPT OF THE HUMAN DESIRE TO LIVE AS LONG AS POSSIBLE MAINTAINS AN ILLUSORY SENSE OF IMMORTALITY, TO BELIEVE IN A FUTURE THAT LASTS FOREVER. THIS NOTION IS CAPTURED first THROUGH A LARGE SERIES OF MUMMIFIED HUMAN FIGURES, PRESERVED AND SUSPENDED IN 17TH CENTURY APOTHECARY-LIKE VESSELS. THE EMBALMED, ISOLATED FIGURES CARRYING THEIR BELONGINGS, MEMORIES, AND EXPERIENCES GATHERED IN LIFE, ARE WAITING TO GO ON A NEW JOURNEY, TO BE REBORN INTO WHATEVER IS NEXT. LITTLE SOULS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH. THE ACT OF PLACING THE CONSTRUCTED FIGURES INTO THE BOTTLES THROUGH THE NARROW NECKS REFLECTS BIOGRAPHICALLY MY OWN PERSONAL VOYAGE AS A CULTURAL OUTSIDER RELOCATING FROM THE NETHERLANDS TO AUSTRALIA.LATER SERIES WITH THE SAME THEMES OF LOSS AND DEPARTURE EXPLORE MORE UNIVERSAL EMOTIONS THAT INVOLVE ALL OF US. Made with whatever I can find, scavenging the streets of Surry Hills. Old scraps of fabric, vintage buttons, small pieces of wire, antique bottleS, TATTERED PAPER AND STAINED CLOTHS.
