“Open My Eyes”

I’m a sucker for book-, and movie titles and in 1997 I saw this movie called “Arbre Los Ojos”, which translates into '‘open your eyes’, from Alejandro Amenábar. A wonderfully weird and mysterious Spanish fiction film.

In the opening scene a man wakes up from the sound of his alarm clock. Instead of the usual beep, he hears the voice of his fling whispering ‘open your eyes’ on repeat. The title always stuck with me.

Then last summer I met this Dutch couple. An architect and his wife, whom have been living on Ibiza for seven years. Whilst talking about life and dreams she told me how she sometimes misses Amsterdam and the vibe on the streets in the neighbourhood of their home here at the Prinsengracht.

In the same conversation I got invited to stay in one of their guest houses on the campo of Ibiza for an artist in residency. Extremely happy and grateful I wanted to give back and made them an Ode.

I made them a thaumatrope. An eye to spin whenever feeling homesick. I had photographer Jitske Nap secretly take a picture from their home, when they weren’t there and I placed the picture in the eye, made out of layers of wood.

Materials: marble, brass, glass and wood.

30 x 20 x 8 cm