Kes Lugt

For a long time, I have been intrigued by lonely lost shoes separated from their pair. How does anyone lose a single shoe? And what do the shoes think about this? That is the question that started the work Found Shoes. The work explores how we can develop empathy for objects, which in turn fosters greater understanding and compassion for those around us. Through the practice of pausing and attentively listening to shoes, you engage in an act of compassion. By integrating audio into the shoes, I try to uncomver the hidden narratives of these objects that have been stripped of purpose. The audio consist of diaries written from the perspective of the shoes. All of them have their own personality and perspective of the experience of being alone. The project explores grief and loss through a playful medium. By creating the setting of a street, the shoes and audience both are in a place and space that feels alienating. By both being in this space, an even playing field is created. This makes it easier to connect to the objects.

Pigeon church is a thank-you to pigeons and an acknowledgement of all they have meant for humanity. For thousands of years pigeons were loved. They were kept as pets and bred to be tame. They were a symbol of prosperity and peace. It wasn’t until recently that they were labelled a pest, pushed to the fringes and became feral. Humanity might not have gotten where we are today without them. In pigeon church, I’ve reworked religious iconography and elevated pigeons to godhood. I have attempted to create a space to show gratitude to pigeons and asked for forgiveness for abandoning them. Pigeon church is a small space with a singular pew, an altar, the scent of incense, and choir music made with pigeon sounds.

A performance on the loudness of captialism

Rob is my alter ego. He is an ongoing research that started in 2023 into what would have happened if my own life would have gone slightly differently. Rob and I come from the same neighborhood, social climate and economic status. With Rob, I try to explore how society views the both of us,how different values are put upon us and how different opportunities made our paths diverge.

n the work Healing Ritual, the audience is encouraged to address their trauma through physical, childlike play. By taking a bouncy castle out of its usual context and putting it in a gallery setting, I aim to create an opportunity for people to participate in play in ways that they might not typically do. This physical engagement allows individuals to release and process challenging emotions effectively.

This project is a collaboration between myself and Theatergroup Pols, where I provided them with an art object. In response, they created scenes inspired by these artworks. Following my review of their performances, I responded to them with additional objects. This iterative process over the course of a year culminated in a theatrical dance piece centered on the theme of the uncanny valley.

Memento Mori, remember that one day you shall pass. This glass ball is made with my own breath and cooled too rapidly so it will for ever be instable. Because of this, it might crack out of nowhere. This work is a physical reminder of the fragility of life.

A small ceramic window mirroring the history of the street I grew up in. It reflects on how cities and homes are always in flux and change before you know it.