Joep van Lieshout (born 1963), is a Dutch artist and sculptor born in

Ravenstein Ravenstein may refer to: Places * Ravenstein, Germany in the district Neckar-Odenwald, Baden-Württemberg * Ravenstein, Netherlands in Oss, North Brabant * Ravenstein railway station Films Ravenstein a 2020 British Horror film People with the ...

, Netherlands, and founder of Atelier Van Lieshout (AVL).

Life and work

Van Lieshout received his formal education and training from the Academy of Modern Art in Rotterdam (1980–1985), Ateliers '63 in Haarlem (1985–1987), and from the

Villa Arson The Villa Arson, also referred to as the École Nationale Supérieure d'Arts à la Villa Arson (National School of Fine Arts at the Villa Arson), is a French art museum, elite school and research institution for contemporary art, located in Nic ...

in Nice, France (1987). In 1995 Van Lieshout formed the

Atelier Van Lieshout Joep van Lieshout (born 1963), is a Dutch artist and sculptor born in Ravenstein, Netherlands, Ravenstein, Netherlands, and founder of Atelier Van Lieshout (AVL). Life and work Van Lieshout received his formal education and training from the ...

(AVL) studio group in Rotterdam, Netherlands, where the company continues to design and fabricate their widely exhibited works. Atelier Van Lieshout has attained international recognition for objects-based projects that balance on the boundary between art, architecture and design. Recurring themes in the work of AVL include self-sufficiency, power, politics, and the more classical themes of life and death. The name Atelier Van Lieshout emphasizes the fact that, although Joep van Lieshout founded and leads the collective, the work produced stems from the creative impulses of the entire team. One of his notable public artwork is Funky Bones, located in the 100 Acres: The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art and Nature Park,

Atelier Van Lieshout

Atelier Van Lieshout (AVL) is the studio of sculptor Joep van Lieshout founded in 1995 in Rotterdam, Netherlands, where the company continues to create and fabricate their widely exhibited works. The name Atelier Van Lieshout emphasizes the fact that, although Joep van Lieshout founded and leads the studio, the work produced stems from the creative impulses of the entire team. Recurring themes in the work of Atelier Van Lieshout include self-sufficiency, power, politics, and the more classical themes of life and death. Atelier Van Lieshout has attained international recognition for objects-based projects that balance on the boundary between art, architecture and design.

Concept development

Atelier Van Lieshout's most relevant recurring themes are domestication, politics, complex functioning systems, and the re-contextualization of familiar, domestic objects. The Atelier van Lieshout claims to make no distinction between "real artworks" and "just building something for someone." Many projects by Atelier Van Lieshout include livable "houses" each with their own "theme", such as the "Mobile Home for Kröller Müller" (1995), "Autocrat" (1997), Dynamo (2010) or Drop Hammer House (2018), with special functions and the according materials and furniture elements. Joep van Lieshout focuses on creating artworks whose design principles challenge conventional ideas of utility and functionality by reinventing how the viewer perceives or approaches an object and the environment in which it is placed. This is achieved by the implementation of non-traditional materials and color palettes, odd or unusual subject matter, and through the strategic positioning or locale of the artwork. 2011-10-02 Rotterdam 004

For example, in the 2010 public artwork '' Funky Bones'' it is impossible to see in its entirety except at a distance, preferably from above. Moving close enough to actually interact with it produces an entirely different perspective.

AVL-Ville

AVL-Ville is the Free State of Atelier Van Lieshout in the Rotterdam harbour during the Rotterdam Cultural Capital year 2001. Originally designed as a place for experiments and inventions for the city of

Almere Almere () is a Planned community, planned List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of Flevoland, Netherlands across the IJmeer fro ...

. After Almere rejected the proposal Atelier Van Lieshout decided to realize its pioneer city on own property in the Rotterdam harbour. The Autocrat and Workshop for Weapons & Bombs found a home along with new works like the Pioneer Set and AVL Transport. AVL-Ville also created its own flag, its own constitution and its own currency.

Domestikator Louvre controversy

In October 2017, an AVL work titled " Domestikator" (2015) was scheduled for inclusion in the exhibition Hors Les Murs, (Foire Internationale d'Art Contemperain's outdoor program of architectural projects, sculptures, performances, and sound pieces that runs concurrently to the fair) held in the

Tuileries Garden The Tuileries Garden (, ) is a public garden between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, France. Created by Catherine de' Medici as the garden of the Tuileries Palace in 1564, it was opened to the public in ...

at the

Louvre The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is a national art museum in Paris, France, and one of the most famous museums in the world. It is located on the Rive Droite, Right Bank of the Seine in the city's 1st arrondissement of Paris, 1st arron ...

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

. On 17 October 2017 the President of the Louvre, Jean-Luc Martinez pulled the work from the exhibition, on the grounds that the piece, in which two interlocking buildings appear to be engaged in a sexual act, would have been displayed near a playground. The work was instead displayed by the

Centre Georges Pompidou The Centre Pompidou (), more fully the (), also known as the Pompidou Centre in English and colloquially as Beaubourg, is a building complex in Paris, France. It was designed in the style of high-tech architecture by the architectural team of ...

in the front square outside of that art institution for a simultaneous run.

Awards

*1991: Charlotte Köhler Award *1992: Prix de Rome Award *1995: Bolidt Floor Concepts 1995, 1st prize *1996: 87.Katalogförderpreis 1996, Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Stiftung *1997:

Hendrik Chabot Award The Hendrik Chabot Award (Dutch: ''Hendrik Chabot Prijs'') is an annual award for visual artists presented by the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds, section South Holland. The prize ceremony is in the city hall of Rotterdam, where the prize is given by T ...

1997 *1998:

Mart Stam Mart Stam (August 5, 1899 – February 21, 1986) was a Dutch architect, urban planner, and furniture designer. Stam was extraordinarily well-connected, and his career intersects with important moments in the history of 20th-century Euro ...

1998 Award *2000: Wilhelmina-ring, Sculpture Award *2004:

Kurt Schwitters Kurt Hermann Eduard Karl Julius Schwitters (20 June 1887 – 8 January 1948) was a German artist. He was born in Hanover, Germany, but lived in exile from 1937. Schwitters worked in several genres and media, including Dadaism, Constructivism (a ...

Award *2009: Stankowski Award

References

External links

Atelier Van Lieshout website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lieshout, Joep van 1963 births Living people 20th-century Dutch sculptors 21st-century Dutch sculptors Dutch contemporary artists Dutch male sculptors People from Oss Artists from North Brabant Willem de Kooning Academy alumni 20th-century Dutch male artists