Nathan de Wouters

About

Nathan is a curious explorer of artistic mediums. His creative journey spans a wide range of forms, from drawing to video, digital photography to cyanotype, sculpture to stage design, scenography, theatre, and even dance. By working across these different practices, Nathan aims to capture and express the complex human experiences that each medium can convey.

His artistic sensitivity comes through in his ability to bring abstract or challenging concepts to life. Using simple yet powerful imagery, he translates profound ideas into visual form, creating a connection between the unseen and the visible. His work focuses on turning the intangible into a visual and emotional experience that can resonate with anyone.

[MA-Arch, Highlights]

‘La tavola’ | MA-Y2

In Italian, “The table” has two genders: “Il Tavolo” and its feminine form, “La Tavola.” Il Tavolo refers to the table as a physical object. However, when set for a meal, it becomes La Tavola, representing a space of conviviality that encompasses rituals, practices, and traditions.

Margaret Visser’s observation that “spontaneity seems to be annihilated by anything resembling ritual: how can you be ‘natural’ while behaving predictably, because of preordained patterns?” serves as a foundation for this exploration of the table as both a physical object and a societal microcosm. ‘La Tavola‘ highlights the table’s role as a mediator of social relations, critiquing rigid structures and promoting ‘social entropy’. 

This work and research challenge the standardisation of everyday patterns and the ideologies embedded in social practices, extending these critiques into the physical spaces where they unfold. In essence, this project serves as a testament to the enduring significance of everyday environments, such as the table, as spaces where individual and collective identities are shaped and negotiated.

‘Ma Tempo’ | MA-Y1

This work explores the Japanese concept of “Ma,” which refers to the “interval” or “negative space” between objects or events. Through a video performance, it visually interprets “Ma,” delving into the interconnectedness of space and time.

In the video, a window of light reveals an empty space. As music begins and a silhouette appears, the space is set in motion, and time begins to flow. Pauses in the music and moments of stillness in the dance highlight how voids or gaps are filled by the viewer’s imagination, creating a continuous experience of movement and sound. This performance illustrates that time is a structured process within space, and space can, in turn, structure our perception of time.

‘The Mirror Stage’ | MA-Y1

This work explores the complex relationship with self-perception using a semi-transparent mirror. Two bodies are merged into one image, creating a third, more abstract dialogue. The reflected and projected figures express the tension between self-perception and how others see us, shaping our self-image.

By alternating between both sides of the mirror, the work suggests that this internal conflict may originate from the same person struggling with their reflection. A chiaroscuro aesthetic is employed to emphasize how we can become mere shadows of our own image, revealing the ways in which we are often enslaved by our own perceptions.

Full video here