“Untitled” (2018), mild steel, 1900 x 1850 x 900 millimeters. All images © Regardt Van Der Meulen, shared with permission
Regardt Van Der Meulen is concerned with the ephemerality of human life, a fascination that manifests in his sweeping steel sculptures. Fragmented and oversized, the works juxtapose the unyielding material with the movement inherent in the figures’ poses and the shapes of their garments. Each of their bodies is incomplete, whether through a bisected limb or torso gaping with negative space.
Based in Johannesburg, Van Der Meulen shares that much of his work exposes the vulnerability of the body and how both minute and drastic changes alter its presentation. Branches, geometric pieces, and erosion interrupt the nondescript figures, serving as a metaphor for their mental and physical instability, as well as the precarious state of the natural world and civilization. The artist writes:
I am fascinated by human mortality and the fleeting moments we spend here. One often forgets how fragile life and our environment is. We think we are part of a binary relationship with nature when in fact we are one. Sudden changes in our environment or experiences can instantly shift our perspective on how we view life and our role in it.
Find more of Van Der Meulen’s fractured sculptures on Instagram. (via Cross Connect Magazine)
“Twigs” (2017), mild steel, 2,300 x 1,600 x 1,200 millimeters
Detail o f“Twigs” (2017), mild steel, 2,300 x 1,600 x 1,200 millimeters
Detail of “Shadow,” steel, 2.8 x 1 meter
“Shadow,” steel, 2.8 x 1 meter
“Unravel,” steel, 2,200 x 1,600 x 600 milimeters
Detail of “”Untitled” (2018), mild steel, 1900 x 1850 x 900 millimeters
Detail of “Deteriorated” (2020), steel, 2,020 x 520 x 520 milimeters
“Dematerialising” (2020), steel, 2050 milimeters