hindeloopen: éric van hove

Éric van Hove (Algeria, 1975) reproduces industrial engines with a team of international craftsmen. From the smallest screw to the cylinder head: each part is handcrafted from high-quality materials such as wood, ceramics, bone or marble.

For the artist, the engine symbolises industrialisation, which in many countries marked the end of traditional craftsmanship. With his impressive replicas, Van Hove puts traditional crafts back on the map. He combines the beauty of design with current themes such as the distribution of wealth and the disparities between the West and the rest of the world.

frisian motor
Éric Van Hove developed a new work especially for the Fries Museum. Frisian, Moroccan, Swedish and Indonesian professionals worked on the reproduction of the motor from a forage harvester. The Claas Jaguar forage harvester is a popular agricultural vehicle in the Frisian countryside. The engine is reproduced in crafts such as Moroccan woodwork, Hindelooper painting, Indonesian carving and Swedish glassware.

d9t
The D9T is a reproduction of a Caterpillar D9 bulldozer engine. Initially this vehicle was designed for construction projects in developing countries. However, this bulldozer has often been used by regimes to suppress uprisings and riots and as barricades. Because of this, the bulldozer has come to symbolise oppression instead of construction. Van Hove’s reproduction consists of 295 parts, made from 46 materials by 41 different craftsmen. The Fries Museum has acquired D9T (Rachel’s Tribute) with support from the Mondriaan Fund, the BankGiro Lottery and the Friends of the Fries Museum.