TESTSLOT

As I walk through cities, I often encounter roadworks and disrupted streets, revealing the hidden infrastructure beneath the surface. One day, I came across a "Testslot" or "Proefsleuf"—a small trench dug to examine underground infrastructure. These test ditches allow for the precise mapping of cables, pipes, and their routes, offering a rare glimpse into the complex networks that sustain urban life.

Inspired by this phenomenon, I embarked on a three-month residency at the European Ceramic Work Centre (EKWC) in Oisterwijk in 2018. Here, I explored the fragility of ceramics as a medium to challenge the perceived solidity and reliability of these essential yet unseen urban components. By crafting delicate, breakable representations of cables and pipes, I aimed to highlight their vulnerability—contrasting their usual role as the backbone of urban infrastructure.

I installed these fragile ceramic objects on precarious pedestals or suspended them in space, emphasizing their awkward autonomy and the bold, vibrant colors they possess when stripped of their functional context. Through this work, I sought to question the inherent strength of the materials that bind our cities together, revealing their hidden fragility.