Synthetics Sculpture

biography / statement Ronald van der Meijs (Tilburg 1966) lives and works in Amsterdam, Netherlands. He graduated cum laude from the AKV|St.Joost Academy of Fine Arts and Design, Avans Hogeschool, Breda. He received the Haarlem Vishal Art Prize 2015, was nominated for the Prix Ars Electronica '17 and was shortlisted for the Witteveen & Bos Art and Technology Prize 2018. He has exhibited in Europe, Asia and North and South America. Among others, IJsselbiënnale ‘23, Centraal Museum Utrecht, Dordrechts Museum, Verbeke Foundation Kemzeke Antwerp, DordtYart in Dordrecht, Fabbrica Europa Florence, Centro de Arte Complutense Madrid, Triennial New Media Art at National Art Museum Of China Beijing, Sculpture Space in Utica New York, File in Sao Paulo, Land Art Biennial Mongolia, ERES Foundation in Munich and at the Sanaa Building Zollverein Essen University of Arts, Kapelica Gallery in Ljubljana. His work is also situated in public spaces as temporary and permanent installation art. Including an art commission from Atelier Rijksbouwmeester for a large sculptural commission in Europol's new headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands. Besides exhibiting his sculptures and installations, he also performs with them to create a new dialogue between the installation, the generated sounds and digital synthesis techniques that form a new intermediary with the audience. How do we relate to nature? Van der Meijs develops site-specific installations that show how we relate to nature in our fully designed technocratic society. These technical structures are a reflection on the location. In his research the concept of acceptance plays a key role by creating a new dialogue between nature and the site-specific art projects. Therefor, a new relationship between public, technology and nature is explored. Each work is a metaphorical and conceptual translation of sound, space, time, material and nature. Through exhibitions, interventions and sound performances, alternative experiences are offered that make us reflect on how we view and interact with nature, our culture and the planet. Unpredictable and slow natural processes control the mechanical installations and form a generative concept of sound, space and time. This process acts as a natural sequencer, generating sound compositions that constantly change and parallels nature itself. Here, both the installation and the viewer must accept the conditions of these natural elements.