Play allows people to step outside of reality and determine, once again, what is real and what is not. It is a 'non-serious' action that absorbs participants in a unique sort of seriousness for a certain time. (Homo Ludens, 1944) Visual artist Gijs Coenen explores the relationship between art and play by creating a series of sculptures that collectively function as a playground. One of these sculptures, the Rocking Module, reacts to simple movements such as pushing, pulling, or avoiding. The artist aims to explore multiple
aspects of play by crafting a series of modules, each with a unique response to movement. Within this series, spectators become part of the artwork as adults and children move intuitively with the objects. Light introduces a third dimension to this dance of humans and objects,
further inviting onlookers to join in and play around.
A project in collaboration with Werktank, Sookie Brarou and Juliette Bibasse.

Contemporary sculptor Gijs Coenen's studio is located in Brussels, where he explores the intersections of art, design and play. His diverse body of work comprises sculptures, functional designs and paintings, always strongly connected to the three-dimensional object.
Drawing inspiration from the essence of human play, Coenen leverages it as a catalyst for his creations. Consequently, his oeuvre is shaped by an unstoppable desire to engage with a wide range of technologies. After he graduated from the MAD Faculty, where he now serves as a tutor, Coenen started his apprenticeship with sculptor Renato Nicolodi, further enriching his fundament into a multidisciplinary practice. This unique blend of influences has moulded Coenen into an artist devoted to creating interactive sculptures, with a sizzle in one hand and a keyboard in the other.