The new ceramic works examine a contemplative approach to sculpture, focusing on allowing forms to develop organically through the creative process.
This stands in contrast to the lighting elements that lend the sculptures a functional aspect, placing them within the realm of apparatus.
Jochem draws on the analogy of objects in video games, highlighting the tension between familiarity and the unfamiliar. In virtual environments, elements like light posts help guide navigation, and Jochem uses this analogy to create objects that embody similar qualities.
2023
Set-up: V01
104 x 405 x 335 cm
Steel, Plaster, Resin, Horn speakers, electronics
location:
Big Art, Bijlmerbajes, Amsterdam
Collaborating artist:
Sound design: Robin Koek
Menhir is based on a sound wave at which two PA-Horn Speakers are aimed. The Horn-Speakers sounds towards the sculpture. Part of the sound passes through and past the sculpture, and part reflects on the surface of the sculpture. After the sculpture is built, Jochem tests different horn speakers by playing and listening to different frequencies reflecting off the surface of the sculpture.
2019
Set up: V01
30x 200 x 25cm
Ceramics, aluminium frame, electronics, sound design
Location:
Root gallery
Jochem Esser is interested in how something can be subjective and physiological at the same time. He explored this in a new series that revolves around his research into tinnitus, something he has dealt with for over ten years. He noticed that listening to white noise helps temporarily repress tinnitus and became intrigued by the neurologic explanation for this phenomenon. It turns out that the brain has a great capacity to cancel and create sounds by itself. In his works, ceramic shapes are used as acoustic filters that modulate generated white-noise, suppressing some frequencies and amplifying others.
2022
600 x 600 x 200 cm
16x Menhir sculpture, cable ducts, custom metal stands
location:
Root gallery
Collaborating artist:
Sound design: Andreas Tegnander
Vertical handcrafted sculptures, each one is a record of the process of making as a ritual. The sculptures consist of a ceramic cell structure with electronic elements. A subtle play of light and sound plays through and around the whimsical shape. In part sculpture, part apparatus.
Vertical sculptures are each produced in one go out of ceramics. The material is flexible but becomes rigid over time, recording the making process as a phenotype of the maker. Electronics animate the sculptures with waves of sound and light. Esser eliminates the border between static objects and dynamic processes.
2019
ø265-250 cm
Wood frame, aluminium frame, custom stainless steel bowl’s + woofer, Glass funnels, AC motor, amplifier’s
location:
The new current, Rotterdam
Collaborating artist
Sound design: Boris Acket
Liquid design: Vincent rang
Flux-3116 delves into the concept of change and stability within the realm of uncertainty. By incorporating electronic and chemical components, the composition showcases a dynamic process of constantly blending substances with the help of sound waves. It intentionally avoids a fixed goal or purpose, allowing the piece to evolve over time without reaching a final state.
2017
Set-up: V01
300x300x300cm
speakers, artificial plants, wires, electronics
sub-sonic sound design
Location:
Root Gallery
Hyper Garden is a site-specific art installation. The installation features plant-like structures that are animated through the use of electronic impulses. By combining elements of the natural environment with an electronic system, Esser explores the behavior of objects and materials.
Through the manipulation of electronic systems, Esser brings life to otherwise lifeless materials within Hyper Garden. Using audio equipment, digital audio processing is employed to generate an arrangement of sub-sonic electric charges. These charges are then transmitted to a speaker, which in turn creates movement. This movement is reminiscent of an artificial muscle, responding to each electronic charge.
2018
ceramics, aluminium frame, electronics, sound design
Location:
Root Gallery
Satelles is a series of sound sculptures that combines electronics with hand-made ceramic sound conductors. Each sculpture contains a memory bank that blends recorded sounds from the cooling down process of the ceramics with generated noisescapes. The sounds, partly recorded and partly generated, are influenced by the acoustic characteristics of the ceramic conductors, resulting in a unique sound for each sculpture. Satelles utilizes sound to establish a dynamic relationship between the object, space, and the spectator, emphasising their interconnectedness.
2017
60x 200 x 25 cm
3x ceramic reverberation sculpture on pannel, electronics, aluminium frame, wires
location:
Whatyamecallit, Utrecht
Reverberation shows a relation between different worlds; the world of sound, the world of analog electronics and the world of object and form. Reverberation creates a subtle interplay between these worlds.
2017
Set up: V01
Artificial plants, speakers, glass, Aluminium, copper wire, Wood, electronics, sub-sonic sound-design
Location:
Kunst Rai, Amsterdam
“Mono Culture” reflects on what is natural and what is not. In this work Jochem contemplates; what qualifies to be alive? If a plant is dependent on technological systems to live in an environment, does this mean these systems are part of the organism itself? Does life have to be biological? Can a synthetic autonomous system be alive as well?
2015-2018
Speakers, wires , charcoal, oil-prepared painting, electronics
Vibes & Margins is an innovative installation that combines acoustics and visual art. It features horizontally arranged speakers filled with charcoal that vibrate at subsonic frequencies, nebulizing the charcoal onto an oil-prepared canvas below, rather than producing sound. This process involves principles of fluid dynamics and particle dispersion, creating a layered residue over time.
Over four years, Jochem has created five iterations of this site-specific work, each exploring the interaction between sound, materiality, and time. The installation serves as an electronic ritual, documenting the transient nature of the work and inviting scientific inquiry into sound-induced particle movement and its artistic implications.
2014
200x200x300cm
speakers, cress, wires, electronics
location:
Looiersgracht 60, Amsterdam
Rooted in James Perchard Tupper’s theories, plant perception suggests that plants can sense low-level stimuli, indicating a form of consciousness. The installation "Plant Perception" presents a thoughtfully designed scientific setup that prioritizes aesthetic exploration over experimental function. This fusion of art and science invites viewers to reconsider the boundaries between empirical understanding and imaginative thought.
2013
70x250x250cm
organ, chipboard, wood vine, speakers, electronics
The project began with the discovery of a discarded organ from the 1980s, a relic from an era that marked a pivotal transition in musical instruments. This organ, emblematic of a time when electronic samples began to replace acoustic mechanics, symbolizes a broader cultural shift: the blurring lines between representation and creation in music.
In the early days of electronic instruments, technology was still in its infancy, and many creations lacked the durability of their acoustic predecessors. For Jochem, this obsolescence reflects a significant evolution in how we understand and engage with music. The distinction between creating sound and merely representing it has faded, leading to new artistic possibilities and challenges.
To honor this transformative period, Jochem decided to craft a monument from the organ. His aim is to preserve not only the physical instrument but also the profound shift it represents in the musical landscape. This monument serves as a reminder of the journey from traditional to electronic, and the ongoing dialogue between past and present in our creative expressions.
