Mirte van Laarhoven |1

Water, wind, sand, plants, trees, moss, insects, birds, all kinds of life are welcome to help shape nature in the Netherlands, if landscape architect and artist Mirte van Laarhoven has any say in the process. Her plans and proposals shift attention from engineering to self-sustaining environments, biotope creation and human experience. At EKWC, she made a series of three large sculptures meant to be placed in a natural environment. “I can see the works emerge form the sand dunes, with some pioneer species growing on top of them.” Built with coiling and glazed with a 20-colour palette rich in iron-oxide, the sculptures were single-fired to reduce their CO2 footprint. Once installed, they will offer an opportunity for humans to take a rest and relate to the surrounding nature, and invite other forms of life to take up residence in the artwork, completing it with their presence.