Diagnosies

Upon hearing the diagnosis that a person will go blind, a feeling of sadness and fear overwhelms them; they collapse, so to speak, under the weight of this severe and irreversible verdict.

This feeling translates into a ceramic sculpture of a black dog that symbolises the utter darkness into which they are suddenly thrown and the paralysing uncertainty that awaits them.

Broken

The diagnosis of blindness has a crushing impact on the person. They are devastated by the news and shattered into a thousand pieces.

Originally, the work was created with different types of clay, scratched in and semi-dried. Then the dog sculpture was broken and rebuilt, the pieces and chunks remaining clearly visible.

The sculpture symbolises the brokenness and chaos that the person experiences after the news.

Depression

A very dark period, both literally and figuratively, follows the diagnosis and depression takes over; they see no way out and experience overpowering feelings of loss and being lost.
These profound emotions are reflected in a ceramic sculpture of a colourless dog. It symbolises the oppressive darkness and gloom that surround the person after the bad news.

Grief

The dawning realisation that the person will never see again, causes tremendous sadness, as so many joyful things seem forever out of reach. They will never be able to gaze upon their loved ones again, witness the ever-changing nature, take delight in the infinite spectrum of colours, experience the thrill of driving a car again…

This sculpture is brimming with the tears of great sorrow.

Anger

The anger... Why did this happen to me? What did I do to deserve such a damning fate?
The dark periods of uncertainty and gloom are interspersed with angry outbursts, providing an outlet to the powerful feelings of injustice and resentment.

This sculpture has been given a layer of Terra Sigillata. This ‘sealed earth’ was made with local clay from Ramskapelle.

This red dog stands out and symbolises the anger after diagnosis.

Prison

The prison you find yourself in as a blind person is not to be underestimated. Help is required with almost everything, especially during the initial period. Living without sight is a huge limitation.

Mundane tasks such as getting around, making food, going to the shop, making payments… suddenly seem almost impossible without the assistance of others.

Constructed using the nerikomi technique with different types of clay, the dashes in the sculpture conjure up images of prison bars; a life sen...

Overprotection

After the diagnosis, friends and family often adopt an overprotective attitude, something the blind person does not always appreciate. The over-patronisation and belittling, as if the person can no longer do anything by themselves, is sometimes unbearable.

This feeling is expressed in a ceramic sculpture of a dog with a large blanket on its coat. Using different types of clay and bringing them together with the nerikomi technique, a beautiful interplay of earth tones depicts the soft and well-m...

Puzzle

Once the gloomy depression and anger have run their course, a blind person tentatively starts to redesign their life and ‘sees’ that there are still possibilities. The pieces of this alternative puzzle start to fit together. They discover that technologies such as apps and speech support have been developed to help not only them, but other blind people as well. This in turn inspires the revelation that they are not alone with their disability, and they can learn from each other.

This sculpture ...

Bright spot

There comes a time when the blind person starts to contemplate a guide dog. This companion can make life easier for them, get them from A to B more safely, provide more social contact and give them a sense of purpose again. A buddy to look after and go out with.

In this sculpture, you can see the light colours breaking up the fading black and red; the infusion of the idea of exploring the world with a dog.

Fine nerikomi technique with coloured clay.

Patient

When applying for a guide dog in Belgium, a blind person is told they must be patient for no less than 3-4 years, before being teamed up with the perfect companion. This is far, far too long…

This sculpture reflects the long waiting time and the amount of patience the blind person must exercise to finally live more independently and autonomously.

White clay with a layer of porcelain, waiting for their guide dog.

Illumination

A euphoric and culminating moment as the blind person gets to know their new buddy. They can now go out together and continue to reshape their life, side by side with their trusted companion.

This sculpture is constructed in porcelain and is translucent, the triumph of light over dark.