Interview with Thom Puckey on Lens Trees, Amsterdam, 21 November 2022

Description

Interview with sculptor Thom Puckey in his studio in Tetterode building in Amsterdam, as part of the course Placemaking in Conservation at the University of Amsterdam. Firstly, Puckey talks about his inspiration for and concepts of his work in general. Secondly, his work Lens Trees (1988) located at Binnengasthuisterrein in Amsterdam is being discussed. Puckey talks about: functionality (positioning of the lenses); shape; materiality (metal and wax models, steel-reinforced concrete base, sandwich-like Lexan lenses, stainless steel lens-holders and screws and a bronze tree); inspiration (Figure découpée or L'oiseau (1963, 1964, 1965) by Pablo Picasso in Vondelpark in Amsterdam and a triptyque by Hieronymus Bosch, most probably The Garden of Earthly Delights (between 1490 and 1510) at the Museo del Prado in Madrid); costs to create and renovate Lens Trees. Puckey also talks about maintenance, the freedom for people and animals to use the object, his wish for renovation and adding new information to the work, for example through a QR code. Thirdly, Puckey discusses conservation of art works in general and the renovation of one of his works in silicone rubber at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, presumably The White Head (1992).