The World of Floris Hovers
The Drents Museum presents The World of Floris Hovers. This solo exhibition by designer and artist Floris Hovers (1976) shows a multitude of colourful fantasy cities, skylines, miniature vehicles, wooden animals and furniture. Hovers invites the visitor into his almost perfect simple world, where there is plenty of room for imagination.
Colour, shape and construction
This summer you won’t know where to look in the large exhibition hall. Hovers’ designs surprise with their simplicity. In his works he plays with materials, colours, shapes and constructions. Hovers starts by observing, researching and sketching, after which he soon moves on to making. By searching for balance, he gets to the essence. The recognisable design that remains appeals to the viewer’s imagination. In this way, Hovers approaches the adult world in a playful way, constantly looking for a balance between functionality and aesthetics.
Reusable material
In everything Hovers designs and makes, the process is just as important as the end result. He constructs his works with basic materials, such as wood, residual material and honeycomb cardboard. Hovers gets inspiration from vintage wooden toys from the former Eastern Bloc countries, but also from architecture. It is often simple, coarse industrial forms and functional constructions that appeal to him.
ArcheToys
Floris Hovers lives in Raamsdonk and works in Raamsdonksveer, the village where he also grew up. In 2004 he graduated from the Design Academy Eindhoven, after which he started his own design studio in 2006. Five years later – in 2011 – Hovers was awarded the Sanoma Woonaward for ‘Young Talent’. He gained international fame with his iconic ArcheToys. This series of miniature vehicles is included in the permanent collection of the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam. The ArcheToys have been produced under licence by design label Magis (I) since 2013.
Build along
During the exhibition period, everyone will have the opportunity to help build a large colourful fantasy city of different materials.
Publication
The exhibition The World of Floris Hovers is accompanied by a richly illustrated publication with the same title. The publication is published by Uitgeverij Waanders and is available for €24.95 in our museum shop or at dutchmuseumgiftshop.nl.
Exhibition ‘The World of Floris Hovers’
Drents Museum, Assen
1 July – 13 August 2023
drentsmuseum.nl
florishovers.nl
Photos exhibition: Drents Museum / Sake Elzinga
Photo Floris Hovers: Niels Jansen