The BFF interview of ERIC CROES

  1 ARTIST / 10 FRIENDS  

10 QUESTIONS / 10 ANSWERS 


 

Simon Demeuter : Why is the bear a recurrent theme in your work?

In my work the bear refers to the animal totem image used in magical rituals.
Reading Michel Pastoureau’s book ‘L’ours. Histoire d’un roi déchu’ really inspired me.

Benoit Platéus : Is there any particular pottery piece that motivated you to create ceramics yourself?

A ‘Casanis’ Moorish head-like water pitcher I have seen at friends in the South-West of France 20 years ago.


Sandra Caltagirone : Your lastest work takes the form of exquisite corpses. Can you please explain this new artistic influence?

We started drawing exquisite corpses with my boyfriend , and I had this idea of giving them a 3-D aspect… Some sort of declaration of love I guess.

Florent Delval : Which devine figures your totems are supposed to call upon?

The spirit of my ancestors as for the real totems.

Florent Dubois : Do you think ceramics can have a queer touch?

Certainly, though I would not want my work to be perceived as mainly queer. Similarly I prefer to be recognized more as a sculptor than a ceramic artist.

David de Tscharner :  What will be your next reincarnation?

A cat maybe… Everybody loves cats.

Jean-Baptiste Bernadet : What is your opinion about Tom Robbins’s quote "It’s never too late to have a happy childhood”?

It’s true that I tend to achieve fulfillment more slowly than others. For years I have been looking for a playground where I would feel at ease and now I am having the time of my life.

Barbara Cuglietta : If you could create a new word, what would it be?

Pouncakes

Virginie Devillez : What do you think about Constantin Meunier and Social Realism in the 19th century?

I love Constantin Meunier’s sculptures and really appreciate the atmosphere that one can feel visiting his last workshop transformed into a museum (Rue de l’Abbaye à Ixelles)

Patrick Croes : What is the border between craftsmanship and contemporary art in your work?

My work and ideas are modern but strongly influenced by popular art. I suppose using pottery in my work gives it a crafstman’s dimension.

 

close up from the last exhibition "Ich bin wie du" at Rossicontemporary - Brussels
 

 

WWW.ERICCROES.BE

/Production & photos by MICHAEL MARSON/Illustration by SIMON DEMEUTER/

/Translation by CLAUDIO CHIAVETTA/