Stichting de Vrolijkheid (The National Foundation for the Promotion of Happiness) is a multicultural, not-for-profit network of artists, play writers, actors, musicians and volunteers who invest in children and teenagers in asylum-seekers centers. Stichting de Vrolijkheid in Asylum-seekers Center AZC in Rijswijk (refugee center) asked Mariska de Groot to do a project for their glass house museum during the summer. She will make a big sand drawing installation and perform it on a weekly basis. Opening performance on 31st of July.
This summer the glass house at the AZC will be turned into a miniature desert.
A big double pendulum hangs from the ceiling structure of the glass house, holding a big bag of sand with a little hole and a speaker.
When the pendulum is well adjusted, a swing with the bag will create a 3 dimensional Lissajous drawing on the floor. The spiral form of the Lissajous drawing is seen as a visualization of musical harmonic scale. But the spiral is also the oldest symbol used in spiritual practices, it is a sacred symbol that reminds us of our evolving journey in life..
During the summer I’ll visit the AZC on a regular base to make a sand drawing on top of the previous. During these performances, a speaker on the pendulum caries the tone that represents the drawing, circulating the sound through the glass house and connecting the act of the moment with its residu.
Every layer gets its own color of sand, creating a growing transitory sculpture over the weeks. With the sun in the different angles over the daytime and little light spots over the night, the changing shadows transforms the sculpture into a little landscape.
These performances will be announced beforehand and open for everyone to attend. Together with the people of the AZC we’ll prepare these events by preparing the sand and the swing, and shaping the right circumstances for the weekly rite.
With this project I continue my research on visualizing sound. Besides that, this is my first attempt of creating a piece in daylight.
https://vrolijkheid.nl/en/