< Danielle Lemaire >
Their approach
Jan van den Dobbelsteen
Danielle Lemaire
summarized, edited text by Eef Schoolmeesters
Jan van den Dobbelsteen and Danielle Lemaire were in Kanazawa, Japan to make preparations for a large project in September and October (2017). It was Jan's fourth work related visit to Japan. Even though his intention was not to make work effectively, it happend because of 168H.
Business meetings and appointments were the prior reason for the visit. Jan brought a sketchbook and Japanese ink-pencils and drew every night in the hotel. During their stay he brought his camera to photograph throughout, some which he shared directly with the Facebookpage, as part of his project. A small selection ended up being part of his there created book.
The book is titled:
Snowflakes Kanazawa
Period: 20-01-17 until 25-01-17
Size: 26,5x20,5x1,8 cm
Blue cover with gold-pressed front. Consisting of 22 page's with drawings in ink, glued sheets and 10 pages with photographs of 15x11cm.
The title refers to the daily snowfall in Kanazawa (where they even encountered a snowman).
When back home, more business had to be taken care of. In the last days of 168H it resulted into another video work, titled:
Voorwaarts Achterwaarts
2017, colour video with sound, 18 seconds
Jan's imagery doesn't consist of sketches, he created these autonomous works all within the 168Hours of the project!
summarized, edited text by Eef Schoolmeesters
Danielle Lemaire was in Kanazawa, Japan with Jan van den Dobbelsteen during the project, for research from the 23rd until the 25th. The 26th she set up her solo exhibition 'Perfect Surroundings' at 'The Apartment' in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. The opening, with her performance, was on the 28th. The 29th she worked at home. A very varied week.
The time in Kanazawa as well as the period towards her solo exhibition were Danielle's source to work at 168H at the same time. Therefore her contribution is also called 'Perfect Surroundings', since she felt her location at any time was perfect to create new work.
Working at her own projects, she constantly felt the presence of 168H. The idea of working at the same time as other colleagues (in different places) enriched her activities: they constantly connected with the other participants, in a way. Another element to this was the time difference: during the stay in Japan, Danielle was eight hours ahead of her Dutch colleagues. So being able to see and follow each other through the facebookpage was stimulating for her.
In Kanazawa she made notes, spontaneously and directly, with a camera, notebook and pen and in paper and pencil - related to 168H. She also collected some printed paper, as a preparation to make a selection of everything she found. Some sketches were to be left the way they were made. Another goal from Danielle was to put something on the facebookpage every day (she might have skipped it once).
It was an intense week in regard of her work. Her focus had to be widened for 168H. Through looking and listening well in an 'omni' approach and reacting spontaneously on what she encountered, she was able to create a full story during this week.
The title Perfect Surroundings is linked with her first 10"record from 2004, where you can find personal music and songs, mostly originated from her own house. It refers to the intimate source of the works and the home environment where optimal circumstances are created for the best working space. This 'house' can be anywhere: it's an appropriated setting where everything comes together, in order to help create new ideas and images. The house does not only bring forth the work but presents it as well. There is a constant dialogue with history, material, space, order, rhythm of life as well as the collected objects within the house, like a Lemniscaat. This place is home. And 'home' is where you live and your work is born.
Some of the sketches she made are to be found on the facebookpage. Her autonomous drawings can be found in the photo gallery at the top of the page, since they took a long time to make they were finished after 168H. Based on all the notes, sound and video recordings she took, she created a performance. Another autonomous video from this period is still to be released!
Below you can view her inspiring video's taken during the project in chronological order.