The animal figure is a recurring motif in the work of Atelier Van Lieshout (founded by Joep van Lieshout, born in 1963 in Ravenstein, lives and works in Rotterdam). By focusing on the role of animals in a society increasingly disconnected from nature, the Dutch sculptor’s work encourages us to rethink the functions, both symbolic and concrete, that we attribute to them.
The Scream takes the form of a gallinaceous bird that seems to be doped on steroids. By its size and exaggerated shapes, it refers to industrial farming practices, entirely focused on yield and performance. A grotesque-looking competitive beast, he embodies a vision where the animal is, at best, a trophy. By its title, which refers to one of the key paintings of expressionism, it also suggests an analogy between animal suffering and existential anguish. But as with all of Atelier Van Lieshout’s works, it is up to the viewer to distinguish between seriousness and irony, provocation and humor.
