Presentation Alexandra Phillips at Brienenoord Country Estate

On Saturday 15 February 2025, Alexandra Phillips will show new work that she created during her residency at Waterwerken at Buitenplaats Brienenoord. She will discuss the process of making it and read from a publication that has been printed for the occasion.

Waterwerken is a long-term residency program of Buitenplaats Brienenoord. From the Island of Brienenoord, artists investigate their relationship with water and share their findings and work with the public at the end of their work period. Alexandra Phillips is the twelfth artist in this project. Lara Almarcegui and Antye Guenther follow.

An area full of contradictions
“From a thought about authenticity, an overwhelming love for the artificial and skepticism about what we call nature, realizing work with an archival role seems more or less an illusion. The works Phillips made during the Waterwerken residency embrace inevitable changes. She plays with the natural forces that are present on the Island of Brienenoord. The tides, wind, rain, the animals and the animal we love most: ourselves. The setting of this island is entirely artificial, but is positioned as natural. The area contains a contradiction that Phillips could not possibly ignore.

Initially, Phillips was confused by the stark contrast between the reality of this natural area and the idea of ​​it. This feeling led her to ask questions about culture presented as nature. She considered the concept of the “unarchivable” and the specific objects around us that seem to have no history at all. She also researched invasive species and learned to weave nets from collected and purchased strings. She also communicated with previously unnoticed surveillance systems. Alexandra Phillips has been working a lot this period on the twists we make in our minds; on the one hand to come closer to our desire to be seamlessly interwoven with nature. But at the same time to have control over a very romantic notion of this nature. Alexandra made a number of works about this confusion during this period.

XNUMX Week Childcare package
Saturday, February 15, 2025
15:00-18:00 PM, 16:00 PM reading from publication
Island of Brienenoord, Van Brienenoord 5, Rotterdam
Click here for directions