Elementa

In collaboration with: Yoko Negi

Norinchukin Bank Europe N.V. has commissioned us to create a series of artworks for its newly renovated Amsterdam office. The client was looking for artworks that reflect its corporate values and commitment to building and preserving a sustainable future. Another objective was to artistically visualize a link between Japan and the Netherlands.

To express a harmony between man, man-made, and nature, we have chosen to use artificial flowers as the primary medium for this project.

In order to provide a specialist perspective, we invited the Rotterdam-based florist Yoko Negi to join us on the creative journey as well as in the execution of the artworks.

This stimulating collaboration resulted in Elementa, four large-scale, abstract floral artworks, each referring to a different element of nature that sustains life.

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Sol (Sun) is a monumental installation located in front of the main entrance, like a glowing sun that welcomes anyone who enters the space. It consists of three layers of suspended garlands made of over one thousand individual flowers, arranged in a three-dimensional circle. The precise position of each flower is made possible by using specialized hardware, alongside a self-developed fixture system.

The artwork represents unity and collaboration. Its layered construction and subtle gradations of color and form deliver the impression of a constant transformation.

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Mare (Sea), shaped as a large drop or an abstract body of water, is constructed of hundreds of hydrangea petals, laid in a calm, muted color range. Hydrangea means ‘water vessel’ in Greek. The flower was introduced in the Netherlands around 1830 by the physician and naturalist Philipp Franz von Siebold upon his return from Dejima, Japan. At first glance, the artwork may appear flat, yet as the viewer’s perspective shifts, its complexity and depth are unveiled.

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Tellus (Soil) utilizes organic moss surfaces covering two mirroring geometrical structures. Moss is one of the elements most associated with Wabi-sabi, the traditional Japanese aesthetic and philosophical worldview focused on finding beauty in imperfection, impermanence, and incompleteness.

In this context, moss represents sustainable growth and the gentle reclamation of human-made objects by nature.

Depicting an imaginative landscape of hills and valleys, the artwork features intricate structures that invite the viewer to take a closer look and and dive deeper into a miniature universe.

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Aura (Air) is an expression of lightness and movement. Located in the hallway, it features parts and miniature versions of the other three artworks, framed within a shelved display and blending into the office’s interior.

This artwork celebrates the invisible element that surrounds us.

It serves as a synopsis of all the other artworks and provides a cohesive reflection on the four elements. The gentle flow of air generated by the movement of the office’s workers and visitors in the space is visualized through the subtle rotation of the various elements that constantly alter the artwork’s appearance.

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Photography: Shinji Otani

Interior design: Parella Design & Build

Artificial flowers: Silk-Ka

Hardware: Arakawa Grip

With special thanks to:

Cindy Bosma and YoonJae Chung

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process:

Ground Control