Max/Mei

Art within the age of the anthropocene, observations of influence and interaction between humans and nature. Max/Mei explores the crossover between artificially created and naturally grown.

“Roothless” is an interactive installation, open to visitor interference. It invites the audience to touch and walk over the constructed concrete slabs, as they do in everyday life, and break up these fragile pieces, triggering a constant development of the work over a four day exhibition period.

The work derived from a change of scenery. Originally from Amsterdam, the artist duo moved home base last spring. Observing NYC culture as outsiders the concrete sidewalks caught their attention. Ruthlessly poured slabs of concrete, including pre-occupied breaking patterns to prevent natural processes to cause damage. As time passes and nature transforms the sidewalks, an exchange starts taking place between nature and culture. An interaction between control and coincidence. As makers the experience of rootlessness in urban life triggered them to create an installation exploring the phenomenon in a more exaggerated manner. Nature as both the destroyer and the destroyed.

Max/Mei is an art duo formed by Marte Mei van Haaster and Max Daalhuizen.

At the core of their work is an interest in the transition from nature into culture, artificially created to naturally grown, control to coincidence. Creating circumstances in which the work evolves or transforms over time, by interaction from the audience, natural processes or others forms of growth and decay. They travel far and close to make location-based works influenced by the local thematics and opportunities of their destination. Creating temporary installations as interventions in public or common space.

Their upcoming shows are:

- Amsterdam, Artis Zoo & new museum, opening April 16th, 2018

- Amsterdam, “Goud onder het ijs“ - location to be announced, autumn 2018