Boreen Point
When I was a kid – I mean, quite a young kid – all that I needed in order to escape to somewhere else was a blanket, all the cushions off the couch, and a series of strategically positioned dining room chairs across which the aforementioned blanket was slung, weighed down with the cushions to varying degrees of success. Sometimes it was a tent. Other times, a fort. Or even a car, plane or boat – à la Max and his escape to the island of the Wild Things.
I’m not confident that the same strategy will be enough to escape the looming environmental apocalypse, but a place to escape to, recharge, and the creative mindset that’s needed to imagine such a space in the first instance might all be helpful in coming up with a useful course of action.
Mieke van den Berg’s, Mystic Passage, embraces exactly that. Like Max, we’re invited to become participants in an imaginary adventure. A life-size red and white sailboat finds itself amidst the dense woods, with ocean waves crocheted and draped between the trees. The sails, crow’s nest, splashes of water on the bow, and the windsock on top of the mast are embellished or replaced by an eclectic mix of sensory materials like shade cloth, lace and wool. Crocheted and stitched together, they create an otherworldly environment forged from unexpected materials in surprising places, setting the stage for a playful and interactive escape.
ARTIST BIO
Mieke van den Berg creates site-responsive installations by experimenting with everyday materials and mark-making. Her process-based practice investigates how we navigate and connect to places and others. Mieke plays with light, sound, airflow, and architecture to create textural interventions that alter the meaning and perception of both familiar and unfamiliar spaces. Her immersive installations invite the audience to engage in sensory and mindful experiences, fostering a connection with the site.
A lace sailboat in the forest feels playful and dreamlike, showing how imagination can help us face challenges creatively.
