In this surrealist work, Kévin Bray (1989) shows Holland's unique relationship with its landscape that lies partly below sea level. Different characters manipulate the terrain: some want to contain the water, while others try to lift the ground to give the water space. Some figures are mechanically shaped. Others have cracks in their skin that symbolize the erosion of nature. 'The Dutch are constantly reshaping and altering their landscape to make it more habitable.'
With this work, Bray celebrates the ingenuity of Dutch engineers but also highlights a paradox: the climate change caused by our rapid development contributes to the rising sea level, which we in turn seek to combat with our innovations.
Bray finds our obsession with developing new techniques interesting but wonders whether we could use existing solutions to current problems. ‘Dutch windmills, for example, are ingenious wind machines – to what extent could we utilize them more?’
Bray finds inspiration from surrealist painters and the symbolism in their work. This piece also contains references to Schiphol. 'You see both day and night, because when flying you often cross different time zones. And when you take off, the horizon seems to move up with you.'
Kévin Bray is originally from France and lives in Amsterdam. He has a background in graphic design and now works as a multidisciplinary artist, experimenting with painting, animation, sculpture, and music. Work by Kévin Bray has been shown at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris and the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam.