exhibition view of 'Tradition as workshop', museum Kranenburgh, Bergen, 2024   (photo Choreo)

project: The Japanese Lacquer series

year: 2001 - ongoing

collaborators: Mariko Nishide / Sergej Kirilov

Japanese lacquer is made from the sap of the urushi tree, and its natural properties bring many qualities - different from any other paint. Brethouwer's unique approach to lacquer combines his conceptual vision with the consummate specialized skills of his long time artisan collaborator Sergej Kirilov. The resulting series showcases the inherent beauty of the urushi lacquer, allowing its qualities to take center stage.

project: The Bell Bronze series

year: 2004 - ongoing

collaborator: Royal Eijsbouts

In Brethouwer's collaboration with Royal Eijsbouts, the bell—an object laden with historical and ritualistic weight—is recast within the expanded field of contemporary sculpture. The exterior contour of his Bell Bronzes belies the intricate internal architecture dictated by acoustics, designed by Eijsbouts. The object's voice is controlled by a hand-held clapper that is itself a sculptural element. Sound unfolds in time, widening the static presence of the sculptural form.

Bell Bronze, E

bronze, with steel and leather clapper

2019 / 100 cm

private collection