The travelers’ tool reinvented

 

The work of Frank Bezemer (Helmond, 1956) is centered around the power of colour, the beauty of diversity and the strength of union and connectivity. He explored these premises by painting colour fields and arranging pieces of construction wood into new compositions. Since 2011, Bezemer has been making ‘staffs’, recognizable sculptures constructed from parts in ten different colours. With these works. He explores the effect and interaction of colours. The artist deconstructs an existing branch into cylindrical shapes of equal size. He then paints these parts, before putting them back together. The traditional travelers’ tool, the staff, is reinvented in this way. The staffs refer to the walking stick, but also to the magic wand, the antenna, the scepter, and the pole. The works seem to have the potential to guide us and give us advice. Below the exterior of the (bright) colours and surprising colour combination, one can sense the natural strength of the staffs. The artist is fascinated by the notion that new shoots can suddenly develop from a stick or piece of wood. The staffs embody this potential of new life.