Martin Riebeek (1957)
Martin Riebeek is intrigued by meetings. Is it pure happenstance that life paths cross, or is there something more than coincidence at work? Riebeek is putting that question to the test in more and more of his work, with the video camera playing an increasingly important role in his oeuvre. Riebeek skilfully overcomes the burdensome element of watching a video by working with short fragments, each of which in themselves constitutes both a beginning and an end. 'You never come in too late. In fact, whenever you come in, you're always right on time.' Riebeek has produced two works commissioned by Rabobank: Non Speaking Terms and Imagine Being There.
Riebeek is no stranger to commissioned work. For a nursing home, he produced a fortune teller to give the residents a view of a future, and for a juvenile correction facility, he produced a conveyor belt that inmates can use to 'escape' virtually. Alongside the A27 motorway near Houten, Riebeek created a life-size landing strip for aliens on two roundabouts flanking the motorway exit. 'My work jars,' says Riebeek. 'I see that as one of the missions of art. There's already enough affirmation out there.'*
* M. Berendse, ‘Non Speaking Terms: ontmoet jezelf via iemand anders’, Lucas X, #4 2004
