Wasting life on you (2021) Pipilotti Rist
The Swiss artist Pipilotti Rist was asked by Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen to create a work of art for the entrance of the new Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen, a design by architect Winy Maas of architectural firm MVRDV. The artwork is titled Wasting life on you and is a mix of video and environmental art. Director Sjarel Ex had previously seen a video installation by Rist that could be very suitable for the mirrored facade of the Depot. Rist immediately set to work developing a work specifically for this location. She designed an organic sculpture 15 meters high, from which videos are projected that, due to the many limitations of the site, are only visible from sunset to midnight. This tall figure looks like a mix between plant and animal; the eyes serve as a projection and light source. The projections are colorful bubbles that move across the floor and the visitors, thereby conveying a dreamy atmosphere to the audience. This soft shower of colour, as the artist himself describes the work, is reflected in the Depot's reflective material. With her work, Rist invites everyone to dance and play together in the colored light.
Pipilotti Rist (Grabs, 1962) is a Swiss-born artist who describes himself as a video artist. Her full name is Elisabeth Charlotte Rist. She took the artist name Pipilotti Rist from Pippi Longstocking from the stories of Astrid Lindgren. Like Pippi Longstocking, she sees herself as a woman who playfully explores the world. In her work she often depicts internal images, such as dreams and emotions. She uses bright colors to diminish the feeling of video representing the 'real' world. Her work is seen as moving paintings. Rist also compares the making process of video with painting; expression is especially important in her work. In 2009 Rist had a major exhibition in Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen. Her work has been included in various museums at home and abroad.