PIERRE DERKS
Visual artist and graphic designer Pierre Derks (1980, The Netherlands) amplifies his observations on tendencies in society by concept-driven projects. He creates a broad range of video works varying from a single-channel screen to large scale projections. The soundless videos, shot from a fixed position, are often referred to as moving photos. Beside the videos and photos captured by Derks himself, he has received acclaim for his use of found footage throughout his career, not seldom with a touch of voyeurism.
Example of this is the 2016 video installation Re-streaming Reality #1 for the FotoFocus Biennial in Cincinnati, Ohio. The work commissioned by Wave Pool Gallery embodies television screens broadcasting pre-recorded footage of security cameras. More recent is the 2020 Thanking Trump series, featuring the recorded live stream prior to White House press briefings.
Derks obtained a Bachelor's Degree of Design from the Royal Academy of Art (KABK) in The Hague, The Netherlands which manifests in his strongly communicative artworks.
Website: pierrederks.nl | Instagram: @pierrederks
Pierre Derks, photo courtesy of the artist
PROJECT: NEXT STOP
March 18 - April 10, 2022
10 Times Square Billboard, South East Corner of 41st Street and 7th Avenue
PRESENTED BY ZAZ CORNER “IN BETWEEN”
The 2022 video work Next Stop could be regarded as the visual chronicle of the Covid-19 era. The footage was made in the heat of the coronavirus pandemic panic, when humankind's destination was unknown, and vaccines were still in the early trial phases. Working from home became the norm and the use of public transportation was discouraged due to social distancing policies. Being able to adapt to the ‘new normal’ could be seen as a privilege, as globally only one of every five jobs can be performed from home. A striking example is the healthcare worker in the video; one of the commuters staring right back at us. Others in the video can be seen gazing at phones, holding their heads, or with eyes closed waiting for the next stop.
Derks animated the still photos he shot to create the 27-minute-long serene video of a nonspecific public transit passing by in a seamless loop. Despite the mandatory face masks, emotions of despair, disbelief, and a sense of being rudderless are uncovered in the sunlit portraits as a frozen reflection of the global frame of mind. The slow motion feel of the work's pace emulates the world coming to a near stop due to the pandemic. Time will tell whether Next Stop is a nightmare's afterimage or a glimpse of the future. Featured on ZAZ corner 5 excerpts of the video adapted by Derks.
ARTIST Recent PROJECTS
