Annick van Elsacker is a multidisciplinary artist and graduated from the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague in 1997. In her installations, photography and videos, she explores the human experience and plays with expectations and logic. Often spectators are unexpectedly assigned roles, making them not only witnesses but also part of the work itself.
In We’re all alone in this together, Annick van Elsacker explores the power of collective beauty and movement. She shows how a mass of black balloons, which individually appear simple and meaningless, together form a powerful and impressive whole. This idea emphasises both the power of the collective and the tension between unity and individuality.
Annick creates simple yet quirky artworks inspired by everyday life. With minimal interventions, she lets materials speak for themselves. In this installation, consisting of a large quantity of black modelling balloons, she plays with space, air and movement. Visitors are allowed to walk through the work, with the sound of the colliding balloons adding an auditory element. This creates a physical experience that can evoke both playfulness and discomfort. Viewed from a distance, the fans create a rhythmic, dancing movement, constantly changing the work.
What seems playful and light at first glance also raises questions about space, control and movement. The balloons make air – normally invisible – tangible and emphasise the impermanence of art and the moment. Thus, the paradoxical idea of the project becomes palpable: we are all alone, together.
