Ronald van der Meijs (NL, º1966)

The work of Ronald Van der Meijs concentrates on the metaphorical and conceptual treatment of sound, space and equipment. It searches for the relationship we as Western man have with technique. This stands for the whole of interventions with which man tries to control his environment. In addition to our production management this also includes human relationships such as administration and communication techniques, the effect of this on humans in our tendency to signify and controll nature itself. It’s the way we in the West look for a life of ‘perfection’ by means of technology …

Big Cummins Cam III
2009-2010, installation
Collection of the Verbeke Foundation

Ronald Van der Meijs stayed in 2009 as artist-in-residence in the Verbeke Foundation. Here he realized his Cummins Big Cam III, a fuel engine of an American truck copied from materials containing oil. During the exhibition the engine would transform itself into a new organic sculpture by the melting process of the heat lamps that react in interaction with the visitor. The gradual transformation of the fuel engine is a symbol for the current and future situation regarding fossil fuels.

“Twenty feet Equivalent Unit” (T.E.U.)
installarion: metal, jute bags, polyester, time clocks, fluorescent lighting, sound installation, 40-foot container chassis, 2008
Collection of the Verbeke Foundation

The location-oriented installation is a metaphor for the standardisation of which our culture and industry is now penetrated. Everything around us is automated and developed to an efficient unity. Similarly the global transport and all world ports. T.E.U.; Twenty feet Equivalent Unit, is the unit of a standard shipping container and is also used indicate the capacity of a container ship and container ports.

When it’s dark there’s light from inside the container and on background you hear the continuous sound of a modern container terminal.

The container was placed on a 40-foot container chassis which was in use in the former transport company of Geert Verbeke.