Eric van Hove’s work explores themes of wanderlust, de-familiarisation and psycho-geography. Incorporating transcendentalist influences in his work, he deploys a more spiritual and decentralised approach to the Eurocentric intellectualism of the contemporary art world. The artist’s sculptures are hybrids of different cultural and social contexts through which he explores the aesthetic and metaphorical territory in between craft and capitalist production. By blending artisanal work with mass-produced objects, van Hove creates elaborate artworks embodying the contradictory nature of contemporary material and visual culture and its paradoxical socio-economic implications.
He participated in 2050 – A Brief History of the Future, Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, Brussels and National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taipei (2018); Tamawuj, Sharjah Biennale 13, Beirut (2017); Beazley Designs of the Year, London Design Museum, London (2017) and Marrakech Biennale 6, Marrakech (2016). Solo shows have also been held at Frankfurter Kunstverein, Frankfurt (2016-2017) and Mu.ZEE, Oostende (2017).