At night the knives are sharpened

Kinetic work, plaster, wood, motors, transformer, 364cm x 165cm x 57cm

The knives are sharpened at night is a work of art that explores how emotions, tensions or desires find their way out. You see a row of 7 teeth that grind at different speeds and with different force. During the exhibition the grit flutters out of the teeth and the work destroys itself

 Roos van Geffen: “This kinetic work arose from my fascination with my own teeth, worn down by night-time grinding. The jaw is the strongest muscle in the human body and essential for our survival. For me, this is a work that is not just about grinding my teeth, but also about how devastating it is when tensions and emotions simmer beneath the surface. It is a metaphor for the destructive power of underlying tensions in the world. And a plea to let complex feelings flow. 

At display at Buitenplaats Doornburgh in Maarssen at the exhibition Stimulus October 6th 2023 – January 7th 2024

here you can see the work in motion: https://youtu.be/pcirm0DWaMY

technical support: Uif Putters

photography: Gert Jan van Rooij

made possible by the generous support of  Mondriaan Fund