David Huycke - Re-Thinking Granulation

David Huycke (1967, Sint-Niklaas) is the most important contemporary silver artist in Flanders and one of the leading names in Europe. His latest work, which breathes new life into the technique of granulation, is now on display at Z33.

Granulation is a decorative technique in which many small metal balls or granules – sometimes tens of thousands of them – are fused to a metal base. The technique has been around since 3000 BC and, having been perfected by the Etruscans between 600 and 480 BC, it has evolved little since.

For Huycke, this meant that resurrecting the technique after more than 2500 years of dormancy represented an enormous challenge. Yet he succeeded, and with genuine fervour. Huycke discovered a method of constructing objects completely from the tiny silver balls. What’s more, he found the process so inspiring that he created a whole series of new objects inspired by this technique. The unique result of all this artistic research is now on show at Z33.

As a house for contemporary art, Z33 aims to act as a unique laboratory and a meeting place that brings together experiment and innovation. And naturally, the chance to exhibit and support artistic research on the new possibilities of a centuries-old discipline and technique falls within this aim. With this presentation, Z33 also offers you a unique chance to discover this master of silver art.

‘Re-Thinking Granulation’ is the culmination of five years of PhD research in collaboration with the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven and Hasselt University. The exhibition takes the form of a presentation, which is a component of Huycke’s PhD in the arts. With his research, Huycke explored the possibilities offered by the granulation technique from an artistic perspective.  

Huycke teaches at the PHL University College in Hasselt, and has been a guest lecturer at a number of prestigious European and American institutes. His work is on display in various European exhibition spaces, and has been included in many important private and other collections (including the Marzee Collection, the National Museum of Scotland, and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in the Louvre.)