Monobloc Moments

A permanent public sculpture commissioned by Beaufort24

Sara Bjarland asks essential questions about our throw-away society. What holds value: something new, or an item that bears the marks of having been used? Intrigued by the material remnants people leave behind, Bjarland, who lives and works in Amsterdam, sifts through discarded objects, giving them a second life. She predominantly utilises existing materials and seldom introduces anything new. In the 1970s, Italo Calvino wrote Invisible Cities, about the fictional city Leonia that’s constantly renewing itself, resulting in the formation of a parallel city teeming with waste – a narrative that, in today’s context, appears prophetic.

Plastic Monobloc chairs are a global summer staple, often associated with vacations and leisure. Yet, they also serve as a symbol of our disposable society. In today’s world, plastic is nearly omnipresent, and the term itself has taken on a negative connotation – signifying something quick, effortless, and cheap, but far from sustainable, given our impulsive disposal habits. In Monobloc Moments, Sara Bjarland arranges these chairs in a chaotic and playful manner, creating a dynamic and organic appearance, as if the stack has been shaped by a sea breeze and is on the verge of falling over. By transforming the chairs into bronze, Bjarland imparts a timeless quality to this everyday object. Her choice deliberately heightens the contrast with plastic, elevating a mundane item to the status of a high-quality art object.

Els Wuyts, curator Beaufort 24