AT THIS HEIGHT, BUT NOT YET IN ITS FULLNESS (VLEESHAL)

2023, performance, edition of spoons

Commissioned by Vleeshal and in collaboration with Zeeland Airport, Van der Mark presents the performance at this height, but not yet in its fullness, inspired by the existing elements at the airport. The choreography partly takes place on the runway of the airport, intriguingly intertwining specific processes of communication, maintenance, and language in a dynamic game of movement.

For this performance, I invited two eurythmic dancers—trained in the art of eurythmy, a movement practice developed by Rudolf Steiner—to create a choreography specifically for the runway. 

The dancers' performance on the runway, with its movements, became a way of bridging my personal connection to aviation, my brother’s work.

The performance took place on November 25 during the ‘golden hour’ from 3.45 to 4.45 pm at Zeeland Airport. The performance could also be followed remotely through the webcam of the airport. 

The accompanying edition takes the shape of a teaspoon. The design references the use of an Earl Grey tea blend, which was incorporated into the green runway at Zeeland Airport to make the entire structure more elastic. Van der Mark works site-specifically, connecting elements of the location where she works with aspects of her personal life. For the artist, the teaspoon has special meaning. It reminds her of her father, who would always stir sugar and milk into his Earl Grey tea—a habit that annoyed her as a teenager. The teaspoons themselves come from her grandparents’ collection, while another set is from an Albert Heijn collection of Suske and Wiske characters. One of them waq given to her as a birthday gift by her brother when she was sick, deepening their personal connection. In that sense, the teaspoon is more than just an everyday object; it carries layers of memories and meaning, making it an important symbol.

Presented at Zeeland Airport
Arnemuiden (NL)