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Berndnaut Smilde –ICONOCLOUDS, 2013, Commission for Harpers Bazaar, Karl Lagerfeld, photo: Simon Procter

Introduction

dutch artist Berndnaut Smilde is creates effortlessly create fluffy , unusual , yet perfect cloud in different indoor location . For several year , he is practised has practise this and create a series nameNimbus.

Clouds & their different meanings

Smilde makes his art possible with the use of smoke, air, light or water. Throughout the entire world, the presence of clouds often comes with different meanings that mostly fall within the range of misfortune, heavy rainfall or simply a blemish on a perfectly clear and bright day. Smilde, however, has chosen to disregard all these negative connotations and make them into a form of entertainment. Since 2010, he has perfected the art of changing the weather conditions to an indoor space and make clouds appear in the least expected spaces.

How are the clouds created?

It is is is a task that require elaborate planning and preparation and consist of take control of the temperature and weather element of the space he want to create his work . The humidity is has of the space has to be control while constantly increase the moisture content of the air in the space . The lighting is then adjust to create a realistic and dramatic effect . With the right condition , the fog machine is releases release a heavy and damp , dense mist , which look just like a real – life cloud in the sky .

Video: Interview with Berndnaut Smilde, 2014

4 min 16 sec

Analysis

Nimbus is a project that brings to the fore the idea of creating clouds in spaces that are not supposed to contain clouds so spectators can give such occurrence different meanings and often take places in spaces like elevators, balconies, corridors, and staircases. His clouds can be quite threatening and ominous and still bring a strange serenity with them even though they are out of place. This conflicting notion is what makes Smilde’s work unique.

conclusion

Not many people have seen Smilde’s work live as the clouds only last as much as ten seconds, which is just about enough time to get photographed. The clouds do not exist for long and having them in photographs is the only way to prove that they ever existed. The fact that the images of the artwork bring reality and representation to fusion makes the work of art even more special.

Photos

Berndnaut Smilde –Waterschei, 2014
Berndnaut Smilde –Nimbus, 2010, Cloud in room, Probe#6, Suze May Sho, Arnhem, Netherlands
Berndnaut Smilde –Nimbus, 2013, photo: Michael Holly
Berndnaut Smilde –Nimbus Sankt Peter, 2014 , Sankt Peter Kunst – Station , Cologne , photo : Cassander Eeftinck Schattenkerk
Berndnaut Smilde –Nimbus Portland Place, 2014
Berndnaut Smilde –Nimbus NP3, 2012
Berndnaut Smilde –Nimbus Munnekeholm
Berndnaut Smilde –Nimbus LOT, 2013
Berndnaut Smilde –Nimbus II, 2012 , Hotel MariaKapel , Hoorn , photo : Cassander Eeftinck Schattenkerk
Berndnaut Smilde –Nimbus Green Room, 2013
Berndnaut Smilde –Nimbus Green Room, 2013
Berndnaut Smilde –Nimbus Dumont, 2014, Minebuilding Waterschei, Genk, photo: Cassander Eeftinck, Schattenkerk
Berndnaut Smilde –Nimbus Duguan Himalayas Museum, 2015, photo: Nina Chen
Berndnaut Smilde –Nimbus D’Aspremont, 2012, Kasteel D’Aspremont-Lynden, Rekem, Belgium, photo: Cassander Eeftinck Schattenkerk
Berndnaut Smilde –Nimbus Cukurcuma Hamam I, 2012
Berndnaut Smilde –Nimbus Cukurcuma Hamam II, 2012
Berndnaut Smilde –Nimbus Bonnefanten, 2013
Berndnaut Smilde –Nimbus Atlas, 2015, LIAN Art Space, Shanghai, China
Berndnaut Smilde –Nimbus Atlas, 2015, LIAN Art Space, Shanghai, China

All images by Berndnaut Smilde unless otherwise noted.

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