from Dutch Geometric Abstraction in the 80's, 'The Dutch Spirit in Art'
Jan Kenis
'A line is generated by the motion of a point traveling from A to B. One of the
striking aspects of Lucien den Arend's sculptures is his use of lines - and,
not just ordinary lines, but contour lines formed at places where one line ends
and another begins. When presented with such a sculpture, viewers should not
focus their attention on one point but on the construction of the whole. Moving
from one point to another, the underlying line and form should become clear. The
contour of a regular plane can be found using formulas. But, every line
enclosing a plane is without beginning or end. Such a line does not stop. It
constantly returns to its own track, thereby keeping the viewers attention
fixed.
Den Arend forces a linear consciousness upon his audience. Looking at one of his
works means the viewer is continually exploring the work's boundaries. In his
sculptures, the line are not imprisoned in the two-dimensional world of one
plane, but enclose planes in three-dimensional space. Every angular point in a
fold is a crossing of lines; every angular point requires a viewer to decide
about how to look. Through the repetition of path, graceful movement develops.
The viewer can also be carried along a fluctuating line or a deliberately
irregular route. However, both are infinite, and den Arend forces it to travel
along a chosen route. The artwork is a trap, fixing your attention on an endless
route. The play of lines along the volumes and planes lead you astray. With no
beginning or end, the viewer has only one way to escape: to leave the sculpture."
