Index

Lola Daels

Plastic Beach

Lola Daels

Plastic Beach

Caption

X

2015. Urban scenography, Canal, Brussels.

The crocodile hides in the water, waiting for a snack. His prey knows nothing, but man knows that it should avoid waters where these dangerous animals have its habitat. The crocodile is the symbol of an invisible, threatening danger in places where man knows it could be dangerous. The border of Brussels and Molenbeek is such a place. Hidden beneath the street there’s a footpath along the canal. This path is only accessible through a few places. It is a place occupied only by them who don’t want to be seen by the eyes of the city, them who have secrets and who are scared. It is a kind of visible but unseen underworld in Brussels. By freeing plastic crocodiles in the water of this canal, we make a direct link with the alligator swamps as we can find in the USA. We use this metaphor to show how unreachable this area is, how this place is being experienced by its inhabitants and by the people from its surrounding city.But our crocodiles aren’t real, they’re plastic toys. They draw the attention of passing-by children and make their parents see that the canal is also a place where life is possible. There aren’t real threats hidden under this surface.

This work was made in collaboration with Sebastiaan Willemen. © Image courtesy of the artists

Biography

Lola Prima Donna Daels °1990, Brussel (BE). Member of Level Five, Brussels.

 

 

Lola Prima Donna Daels (b. 1990 in Jette, BE) is a Brussels based artist. Leaving from found objects, she poses critical inquiries about the ecological and socio-political situation. By reshaping and integrating her relics into new contexts she questions the concept of authenticity in our globalizing society. She has exponentially gravitated towards researching the human impact from an ecological preoccupation. She works site-specifically, both in research scope as well as in execution. 

Daels obtained her master degree in visual arts in 2014 at Luca School of Arts, Brussels. She has been part of several residency programs such as EKWC (NL), Kooshk recidency (IR) and Cité Internationale des Arts (FR). Her work was shown at Bozar (BE), Extracity Kunsthal (BE), Deegar Platform (IR), Art Sonje Center Seoul (KR) and many more.

Her interest in urban complexities led to the collaboration with architect and urbanist Sebastiaan Willemen. 

Upcoming

2025 

  • Creatures of the Sea, Academia Belgica, Rome (IT)
    30 January 2025 5PM - 9PM
    This presentation unveils the work I’ve created during my residency (oct-jan) @academia_belgica
     
  • Keikoppen, Museumhuis Lucien De Gheus, Poperinge (BE)
    18 May 2025 - 21 September 2025
    Group Exhibition with Leyla Aydoslu, Dirk Braeckman, Peter Buggenhout, Casimir, Helena Cnockaert, Lola Daels, Berlinde De Bruyckere, Maarten De Ceulaer, Theo De Meyer, Lydia Hannah Debeer, Babs Decruyenaere, Edith Dekyndt, Lieve D’hondt, Sam Druant, Filip Dujardin, Johan Gelper, Annelotte Lammertse, Atelier lachaert d’hanis, Klaas Rommelaere, Linda Freya Tangelder, Ante Timmermans, Bram Van Breda, Muller Van Severen, Maarten Vanden Eynde, Bram Vanderbeke, Ybren Vanoverberghe, Studio Unfold, Dittmar Viaene, Conrad Willems, Dirk Zoete
     
  • Uncharted by OHME at ISELP, Brussels (BE)
    18 September 2025 - 06 December 2025

Texts and publications

2025

  • Ruimte Magazine: Bomen & bossen, Meesterproef; Sociaal Wonen "Moederbos" P.67

  • A+ (306), Building for Culture, Sociaal Wonen P. 115.
     

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