Machiel Spaan & Rozalie Hirs

Open Saturdays: events in sound, space, and time

Residency period september – december 2019

Interview by Friso Wijnen

From September until December Rozalie Hirs and Machiel Spaan are artists-in-residence at the Van Doesburg House. During their stay they will develop Ways of Space, a new architecture sound installation which they will present on Saturday 2 November, at 16.00 hours. Alongside their artistic research, Rozalie and Machiel initiate, curate and organize live events during five Open Saturdays (7 September, 21 September, 5 October, 2 November, and 7 December 2019). These events serve as an inspiration, workshop and stage for Ways of Space. Each event is concluded with a discussion of all participating artists with the public.

Why a joint residence in Van Doesburg studio-house?
We worked together on a project twice before. Ways of Space (2019), executed in Van Doesburg house, forms a triptych with Curvices (2013) and The Listening House (2017). In each of these projects we investigate the trinity sound / tone / music as part of the spatial experience on different scales. Curvices examines the relationship between sound and movement within the landscape and urban space. At The Listening House the relationship between sound and the architectural sculpture in intimate space is the core. Ways of Space takes a closer look at the architectural space, in particular the space of Van Doesburg house.

To what extent have your expectations come true?
The collaboration led to our third project: Ways of Space which would not have been created at all, or in this form, without our stay in the studio-house. We investigated the concept of the so-called open floor plan, as conceived by Van Doesburg, and the color plan of the house as inspiration for this new sound installation. During our residence, Machiel made a thorough inventory of all yellow, red, blue and gray color shades that co-shape both the interior and the exterior of the house. Machiel represented the results of this research by means of a graphic color plan, which Rozalie in turn translated into frequencies and harmonies for the new electronic music composition.

Theo van Doesburg was a multidisciplinary artist. You design architecture, write poetry and make music. How do you feel affiliated with Van Doesburg?
We look around us and let ourselves be inspired by everything we see and hear. The architectural space, the visual arts, the colors and sounds of, in and around the house. So many ideas and opportunities in which we like to immerse ourselves.

During your residency you organized a series of public activities. What did it bring you?
The Van Doesburg house is stubborn. It literally takes time to make it your own and to live there. The Open Saturdays public events have revealed the “true nature” of the studio-house. In our opinion, the house is at its best when you gather with several people, receiving guests, friends and an audience and to listen to a performance, concert or lecture, together with an exhibition in the studio or a dinner at the concrete table. The house primarily appears to be designed for performances, the exchange of ideas and conversations about the arts. Inspiration and friendship.

What was your favourite place in the house?
During the four months we stayed here, the seasons changed from summer to fall and winter. Every month we experienced the house differently. In September we mainly lived downstairs in the garden and in the kitchen, in October in the studio and in the cold and wet November we stayed in the intermediate rooms with the two large doors closed. Our favourite spot though was the studio, where interaction takes place between the various disciplines and between residents, visitors and guests. The studio always takes on different capacities; this multitude of forms we found unique. At the same time the studio was a music theater, poetry stage, vestibule, music studio, dining room, salon, orangery …

What do you take back to the Netherlands in terms of ideas and work?
The installation Ways of Space, inspired by the colors of Van Doesburg house, will be shown at other locations, such as the Museum Van Doesburg Rinsemahuis in Drachten (3 February – 30 March 2020), the Van Eesteren Museum in Amsterdam (1 -15 April 2020) and STEIM in Amsterdam (summer 2020). And in 2021 most likely in Aubette in Strasbourg, a design by Theo van Doesburg, Hans Arp en Sophie Taeuber-Arp. As such, a work inspired by the colors and ideas by Van Doesburg will travel along several Van Doesburgs.

For more information www.rozaliehirs.nl . The residency by Rozalie Hirs and Machiel Spaan was made possible by the Performing Arts Fund NL and the Creative Industries Fund NL. Click here to watch a video with Rozalie and Machiel where they share more of their experiences during their residency.