Noodkacheltje 1940 - 1945

This object, titled Noodkacheltje by J.C. Nienaber, is a utilitarian piece made of metal of some kind. The choice of materials here speaks volumes, doesn't it? The rusted texture, the way the metal bends and joins, it's like the piece is slowly returning to the earth. It's like a dance between decay and durability, a testament to the endurance of simple forms. Focusing on the base, notice how the octagonal shape grounds the cylindrical body. It’s not perfectly symmetrical, which gives it a kind of wonky charm. I think about Kurt Schwitters and his Merzbau, how he turned trash into treasure, building these strange environments out of everyday materials. There's a similar spirit here, a kind of resourceful inventiveness. Art is about embracing the unexpected, and Nienaber definitely delivers on that front.