Crates

5 December 2023

For years, crates have been an indispensable resource for me for my artworks and, of course, for storing my plastic supplies. My search for the crates occurs on an irregular basis, mainly when my artworks or workshops call for it. Of course, I occasionally come across them during my bike ride from home to studio but The Hague Market is my favourite hunting ground.

Amid the familiar cardboard boxes that seem to be making a real comeback, there are the wooden crates and various kinds of plastic crates. Some of these plastic crates carry deposits, what matters to me, of course, are the crates that are thrown away

The plastic crates that find their way to the bin are often of good quality, with black being the most common colour. White crates are scarce with periods. Therefore, I always have a small stock in my studio. I started collecting large quantities of crates while building my first Floating Cities in 2015.

With the upcoming Kinderbiennale at the Groninger Museum and the accompanying children's activities, I need a lot of crates. I have built a network with regular stalls that alert me as soon as white or blue ones are available. These days, my Monday afternoons are dedicated to transport, where I can take around 40 to 50 crates at a time. Sometimes I even make three trips from the market to my studio. Often, I also manage to pass other collection points that afternoon. There are private individuals who have a large stock of plastic but also companies like WEPcircular.