Algorithm | Jos Klarenbeek

In his practice, Jos Klarenbeek often works as a translator, converting complex material into narrative installations and objects. He has previously applied this approach to technical weaving and now wants to explore it in porcelain production. In Arita, he uses Algorithm to investigate how the porcelain production process can function as an algorithm: a series of actions and rules that convert input into output. He wants to use this methodology to tell stories about the material chain itself (raw-material use, material cycle and history) and to make this information accessible and understandable. The research consists of two parts. First, he focuses on experimentation and deeper understanding. By trying out different techniques, Klarenbeek explores which actions can become part of an algorithm, ranging from glazing techniques to CNC milling methods for moulds. This results in a library of objects and samples. The focus then shifts to context and broadening. He collects data about the local material chain and translates this via the algorithm into a narrative work about the place, the production process and the history of Arita.