Works with construction toys
Children are playing less and less with construction toys such as lego, knex, nopper, triqo, clics, wooden blocks, etc. That is why you now see many of these toys in thrift stores and on the internet. Nico Kok was able to collect many of these toys during the time of the pandemic and started researching what he can make with his art. Themes by Nico Kok such as: the square, properties of the material and what can be done with it, repetition of shapes, etc. are reflected in this work.
dated 2020 until 2023
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Red square with diagonals
2023
Nico Kok made 100 blue and 69 red cubes from the construction toy "clics" and connected them in such a way that 144 open cubes were created. By combining red and blue cubes, a square with diagonals was created
Themes by Nico Kok such as: square,cube, what can be done with the shape, use of material properties, contrast positive / negative, diagonal,etc., are reflected in this work.
The work is signed on the back.
Eight blue and red squares
2021
During the pandemic, Nico Kok collected many used construction toys from second-hand stores and internet
In this work he only used wooden toys blocks. The blocks are used and painted blue and red.
The wooden blocks are arranged in such a way that squares are created in the colors blue and red.
The work reflects on the Nul group movement (Jan Schoonhoven, Armando) and on the minimal artist Frank Stella.
Themes by Nico Kok such as: square,cube, what can be done with the shape, use of material properties, use of monochrome color, diagonal,etc., are reflected in this work.
The work is signed on the back.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aivfrny0Cos
Forty-nine yellow duplo lego pyramids
2021
During the pandemic, Nico Kok collected many used construction toys from second-hand stores and internet, including lego
In this work he only used the yellow duplo lego.
Duplo is LEGO for small children and was marketed in 1969.
This work contains both fairly new and very old bricks.
The yellow duplo lego bricks have been combined into a forty-nine pyramids.
But in these work you can also see a square pattern.
The work can be taken apart and put back together in a different way.
This is not the intention, but contribute to the experience of this work.
The work reflects on the Nul group movement (Jan Schoonhoven, Armando) and on the minimal artist Frank Stella.
Themes by Nico Kok such as: square,pyramid, what can be done with the shape, use of material properties, use of monochrome color,pattern, diagonal,etc., are reflected in this work.
The work is signed on the back.
Video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvZpwLfnRbY
Red duplo lego square
2021
During the pandemic, Nico Kok collected many used construction toys from second-hand stores and internet, including lego
In this work he only used the red duplo lego.
Duplo LEGO is for small children and was marketed in 1969.
This work contains both fairly new and very old red duplo bricks.
Old, frequently used stones are dull and discolored, almost new ones are shiny and clear in color.
The bricks have been combined into a large square and a small square.
The small square becomes visible because this square is built up vertically with brick and the large square horizontally
It should be noted here that it is difficult to make a square with (duplo) Lego because the ratio length and height is 6 : 5 .
Themes by Nico Kok such as: square,horizontal / vertical, what can be done with the shape, use of material properties, use of monochrome color,etc., are reflected in this work.
The work is signed on the back.
Two diagonals
2021
During the pandemic, Nico Kok collected many used construction toys from second-hand stores and internet
In this work he only used wooden toys blocks.
The wooden blocks are arranged in such a way that two diagonals are created in the square.
The work reflects on the Nul group movement (Jan Schoonhoven, Armando) and on the minimal artist Frank Stella.
Themes by Nico Kok such as: square,cube, what can be done with the shape, use of material properties, use of monochrome color, diagonal,etc., are reflected in this work.
The work is signed on the back.
Video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_tDfI8PKaE
Twenty-five red lego pyramids
2021
During the pandemic, Nico Kok collected many used construction toys from second-hand stores and internet, including lego
In this work he only used the red lego:
About 1000 red lego plates have been combined into a relief of twenty five pyramids.
But in these work you can also see square patterns.
The work can be taken apart and put back together in a different way.
This is not the intention, but contribute to the experience of this work.
The work reflects on the Nul group movement (Jan Schoonhoven, Armando) and on the minimal artist Frank Stella.
Themes by Nico Kok such as: square,pyramid, what can be done with the shape, use of material properties, use of monochrome color,pattern, diagonal,etc., are reflected in this work.
The work is signed on the back.
Seventien blue squares
2021
During the pandemic, Nico Kok collected many used construction toys from second-hand stores and internet, including "clics".
In this work he only used the blue clics:
About 1300 blue clics have been combined into a relief of seventien squares.
But in these work you can also see 12 "negative" suares and 4 cubes.
Each click is also a square. Clics only come in red, yellow, green, blue, white and black.
The work can be taken apart and put back together in a different way.
This is not the intention, but contribute to the experience of this work.
The work reflects on the Nul group movement (Jan Schoonhoven, Armando) and on the minimal artist Frank Stella.
Themes by Nico Kok such as: square,cube, what can be done with the shape, use of material properties, use of monochrome color, contrast positive / negative, diagonal,etc., are reflected in this work.
The work is signed on the back.
1327 red clics
2020
During the pandemic, Nico Kok collected many used construction toys from second-hand stores and internet, including "clics".
In this work he only used the red clics:
1327 red clics have been combined into a relief of 7 squares but also 6 negative squares.
Each click is also a square. Clics only come in red, yellow, green, blue, white and black.
Only red is used in this monochrome work and it is hardly recognizable as a toy.
The work can be taken apart and put back together in a different way.
This is not the intention, but contribute to the experience of this work.
The work reflects on the Nul group movement (Jan Schoonhoven, Armando) and on the minimal artist Frank Stella.
Themes by Nico Kok such as: square, what can be done with the shape, use of material properties, use of monochrome color, contrast positive / negative, etc., are reflected in this work.
The work is signed on the back.
Twelve green squares
2020
During the pandemic, Nico Kok collected many used construction toys from second-hand stores and internet, including "clics".
In this work he only used the green clics:
1291 green clics have been combined into a relief of twelve squares.
All squares have two sides in common.
Due to this arrangement,a diagonal is formed in the squares more and more evident in the larger the square.
Each click is also a square. Clics only come in red, yellow, green, blue, white and black.
The work can be taken apart and put back together in a different way.
This is not the intention, but contribute to the experience of this work.
The work reflects on the Nul group movement (Jan Schoonhoven, Armando) and on the minimal artist Frank Stella.
Themes by Nico Kok such as: square, what can be done with the shape, use of material properties, use of monochrome color, contrast positive / negative, diagonal,etc., are reflected in this work.
The work is signed on the back.