Welcome to the Warmbed

In the field next to Jester, you can find the Warmbed, a 2020-2021 installation by artist-architects Ciel Grommen and Maximiliaan Royakkers in the framework of the site-specific research project Le Paysage Ménagé that departed from the question: how can we develop architecture that inhabits space, rather than simply occupying it? Ciel Grommen and Maximiliaan Royakkers both studied architecture in Belgium, followed by an art program. Both artists are fascinated by space - how it takes shape, how it is inhabited, and the dynamics involved thereinn. Their projects always start from a specific location, often situated in “the outdoors”: rural contexts, industrial zones, wastelands, ... They spend considerable time in a location to perform an activity, assume a certain role, and sometimes build a structure. Along the way, they commemorate the coexistence that unfolds in these places, or reveal underexposed dynamics.

The Warmbed was commissioned by FLACC/CIAP as an architectural work engaging in constant dialogue with its surroundings. Inspired by traditional designs like the Chinese 'kang bed' and the Russian 'pechka stove', this brick sculpture is heated from within, creating a welcoming atmosphere for people to congregate or for small animals to seek shelter in the nooks and crannies of the structure. With the help of local experts and enthusiasts, the artists produced a unique re-creation of the “Winterslag Devils” - the bricks that were once produced entirely from the residual material of the Winterslag mine. These bricks were then used to build - layer by layer - an outdoor sculpture.

Ciel Grommen: “We quickly concluded that the site of C-mine has great value not only as a natural environment, but also as a public space. It is a place where people can get a breath of fresh air, where activities can be held that are not possible elsewhere. We have therefore set up a small-scale brick production that uses precisely the earth that appears to be the subject of discussion. Subsequently, we have used the bricks to construct a bench that can be heated - a 'warm bed' - and that allows people to reside and enjoy this landscape.”

The Warmbed is the perfect place for a convivial gathering in open air with a view on the terril of Winterslag: a picnic, a discussion group, a neighborhood party, .... . Do you want to use the venue for your own event? You are welcome to engage with the work yourself! Just let us know beforehand (info@jester.be) if you would like some wood to heat the Warmbed!