Artist statement
Creating playful adventure films about knights, pirates and cowboys, Van der Heyden’s work is best described as absurd, full of action and humorous. In his multidisciplinary practice consisting of installation, sculpture, film and drawings he searches for a childlike form of playing. Taking on the role of a goat, pirate or cookie baker, Van der Heyden uses costumes and props to embody the roles in his exciting storylines. Props hold the power of transformation; give someone a sword and they will feel like a knight.
Van der Heyden uses the strength of nostalgic pretend games as a narrative. Collaborating with friends and other artists, he creates playgrounds with sets of rules to push decision making and stay in the rush of the process. These can be about the use of materials, concept, time, theme, working method or location. Like driving picket posts into the ground to create a field, he creates these sets of rules to demarcate his playing field. This is where he finds the space to explore, make mistakes, play, but above all, create.
Ambitions
Wife, house, kids!
Learned during the studies
Many hands make light work.
List of publications / exhibitions / prices / concerts / shows etc.
Exhibitions:
2020, Ruis, Sorry we stole Christmas, Nijmegen
2021, Omstand, Anyway Anyhow Anywhere, Arnhem
2021, Ruis, Goede Oogst, Nijmegen
2021, Blauwe Veld, Snoerkat en Roomijs presenteren: Oscar Peters, Arnhem
2021, Academie Galerie, Arena, Utrecht
Nominations:
2022, 37PK residency at DOC4
