With his installations, videos, sculptures, and drawings, Belgian artist Hans Op de Beeck engages in a brilliant game of illusion, transporting viewers into imaginary worlds. Born in 1969 and a resident of Brussels, the artist became known for his walk-in, atmospheric installations, which he stages as elaborately as the set of a feature film.
Yet, he also succeeds in captivating his audience with very simple means. The film Staging Silence (2) is perhaps the best example of this strategy. A plain tabletop, four hands, a screen as a backdrop, and a few props—mostly mundane objects—are all Op de Beeck needs to enchant us with his illusionary skills. Snowy landscapes are created from sugar; a city from upturned water bottles; a sea of reflecting waves from stretched cling film. Although we can observe the process of transformation, we are only too happy to succumb to the illusory game of Op de Beeck. The suggestive soundtrack composed by ambient musician Robin Rembaud, who performs under his stage name Scanner, plays a significant part in this process. Instinctively, we wish the film would go on like this forever. However, a dramatic showdown awaits us at the end. Doused in hot coffee, the city built out of sugar cubes is transformed into eerie ruins, before completely sinking into the black liquid.
