Bik van der Pol


Untitled, 2007

Aral gas station, Cäcilienstraße 32, Mon–Sun 0:00 am – 12:00 pm

Liesbeth Bik and Jos van der Pol have been working collaboratively as Bik van der Pol since 1995. Their works invite the audience to think about places, their architecture, and history. At the same time they explore the potential of art to produce and transmit knowledge, as well as to create communicative situations. At a gas station across from the site where the Josef-Haubrich-Kunst-halle once stood (the demolition of which led to the formation of the European Kunsthalle), Bik van der Pol have installed an evocative aphorism. It says, “Ideas you believe are absurd ultimately lead to success.” The text triggers thoughts about the site across the street, its past and possible future. It visualizes the notion that spaces can be created where nothing actually exists, and that these spaces are more than just temporary, imaginary buildings. Using light, the artists create a stage for the work, which also makes it clear that every idea, regardless  of how fragile it is, can take on a solid form with help from mediation and communications tools.