How to participate?
In the original version the plinth was completely covered with Sfincterman’s spouting bits. Those have now been removed. Just like on the sculpture extra spout rings have been added to the bars above the plinth.
The sculpture figuratively represents ‘the unrestrained’: each thought is belched out without reflecting. The plinth, on the other hand, represents the inner, restrained thinking, the mental activity that does not express its thoughts.
In order to enhance participant participation in the revised version of the artwork the polyutherane flakes are replaced by 3D printed spouting bits. At first sight they look like question marks; it is as if they ask the spectators what they would do or think in Sfincterman’s place.
Beside the sculpture there is a tray with 3D printed bullets, wrapped in removable straps, on which the spectators can write their own words or sentences. These figurative bullets can aim and fire words at someone: words become weapons.
Participants are invited to stick the strap with the text to an empty spout bit and put it back on the sculpture. If the text may or is to be said, it can go on the sculpture itself; if one thinks it shouldn’t be said, it goes on the plinth. Other visitors can read the texts and are free to move them ‘up’ or ‘down’.
The visitors’ moves and actions make the sculpture change its form. As the straps are put around the bullets, they will slowly unroll and cause further transformation.
In 2023 C-TAKT brought Karel Tuyrtschaever, director, and Niko Hendrickx, visual artist, together to create a video to accompany Hendrickx’ sculpture Sfincterman no. 0 (2020).
The video is a clever montage of a dance inspired by the sculpture, a nervous soundtrack, a text banner at the bottom of the video and finally the artist’s hand that puts ‘spouting bits’ on the sculpture.
Credits video ‘Sfincterman’
Impressions of the project
