Chantal Keimpema

"The title 'When water moves...' refers to the changing nature of water and the impact this has on people, animals and the landscape. Water is often associated with tranquillity and beauty, yet at the same time it can suddenly transform into something unpredictable with devastating power. This dual meaning forms the starting point for my work.

My fascination with water began during my annual visits to the seaside. The sound of the waves crashing onto the beach, the wind and salt in my hair, and the endless sea into which I could lose myself in daydreams gave me a sense of tranquillity and wonder. Later, I also discovered another side to water through an old book about the 1953 North Sea Flood. This event showed how the same sea that can offer tranquillity can also harbour a great destructive and unpredictable force. This dual nature of water is a key source of inspiration in my work.

In my work, I explore how movement in art can make the power of water visible. By using sliding canvases and real water, works are created that constantly refer to change. This body of work consists of an interactive painting, clay sculptures and shifted photographs, all of which refer in their own way to the 1953 North Sea Flood. Together, these works show how water can leave its mark on landscapes, memories and lives.

Through these various works, I explore the tension between beauty/tranquillity, destruction/turmoil and unpredictability. My work invites the viewer to reflect on the power of water and to play a part in my work."