You Are Here

You Are Here (2024) is Philip Vermeulen’s first static sculptural artwork, capturing an ephemeral visual phenomenon in physical form. Known for his dynamic kinetic installations, Vermeulen now explores stillness and perception through sculpture. This piece builds directly on his earlier immersive installation Chasing The Dot, where viewers experienced a fleeting afterimage, a luminous dot that appeared and disappeared from view. In You Are Here, this elusive visual experience is made tangible, inviting viewers to closely observe subtle perceptual changes from different perspectives.

The sculptures are created through an iterative, layered process, embedding differently colored resin forms within one another. By carefully sanding each layer, the translucency of the forms is precisely controlled. Illuminated from within, the vibrant pigments such as neon pink, intense green, and deep blue blend and shift, producing a gently changing visual effect. Though physically static, the sculptures respond continuously to changes in light and viewer movement, making them optically dynamic.

Ideally displayed in a dimly lit environment, You Are Here offers an immersive experience. Its glow softly illuminates the surrounding space, creating a sense of floating color and form. The central dot seems to hover, leaving a lingering afterimage that deepens the visual encounter.

You Are Here marks a significant development in Vermeulen’s artistic practice, extending his exploration of visual phenomena and sensory engagement into sculptural form. The work has been acquired by Rijksmuseum Twenthe, underscoring its importance within Vermeulen’s evolving investigation of perception and visual effects.