Thijs
Rijkers

True craftsmanship is dying out, and nowadays everything is produced by computer-controlled processes. This method of production lacks a soul and the love, that you as a creator, invest in an object. By forming a connection with the material, it becomes an extension of you, and you establish a conscious or unconscious bond with it.
Mastery lies in making the techniques your own; true mastery is only achieved through artisanal human actions. These human actions also leave behind a certain imperfection, which lends a unique charm, a welcome byproduct.

Today, everything is hidden, whether on a mechanical level, in the overall workings of a physical phenomenon, or in the technology behind it. Through my work, I shine a light on what is often concealed. I incorporate these hidden beauties in my conceptual translation, an overarching theme throughout all my creations. Having mastered artisanal production techniques, I transform raw pieces of aluminum and brass into intriguing machines. I especially favor applying a refined industrial design in my work, a blend of “form follows function” with an elegant, high-quality aesthetic.

I often achieve a sense of sophistication using gold-colored brass, whereas the industrial design aesthetic is typically represented by steel or aluminum. The challenge always lies in the translation: how can I communicate as purely as possible what I feel and think to the viewer? What subtle or extreme movements can I use as a language to convey an emotion or a train of thought?

My goal is to allow the viewer to appreciate both the design and the conceptual translation, using the beauty, in my eyes, and its movement (both literal and figurative) to convey the underlying thought process.
I create machines that both astonish the viewer and provoke thought. I am always searching for mechanical poetry, the perfect combination of grace and narrative. In all my works, I strive to capture that grace through both movement and design.

I had the opportunity to exhibit my pieces in a variety of interesting places such as; Pasha Ibiza, Salone de Mobile Bienalle Milan, Gemeentelijk Museum Den Haag, Zuiderzeemuseum, Museum Ijsselstein and many more. Currently one of the most spectacular commisioned pieces that I ever made is permanently on display in the award-winning escaperoom The Alchemist in the Beurs van Berlage Amsterdam.