Talking Art: Joep van Lieshout interviewed by Marcus Verhagen

Joep van Lieshout is founder of Atelier Van Lieshout (AVL) a team of creatives based in Rotterdam. The work produced by the AVL community varies from sculptures and furniture, bathrooms and mobile home units to complete architectural refurbishments. AVL is particularly renowned for its works of art that can be used for a self-sufficient and independent lifestyle.

In the year 2001 Atelier Van Lieshout realised AVL-Ville, a 'free state' in the port of Rotterdam, the biggest work of art by Atelier van Lieshout to date. This free state is a mix of art environment and sanctuary, full of well-known and new works by AVL, with the special attraction that everything is fully operational. Not art to simply look at, but to live with, to live in and to live by. In 2002 AVL has recently located its first AVL-Ville export product in Park Middelheim in Antwerp: the AVL Franchise Unit. One of the most recent projects of AVL is SlaveCity, an up-to-date concentration camp, a sinister disutopian project which is very rational, efficient and profitable. The inhabitants of the city work in vast patterns of 7 hours; they work in the CallCenters and also labour to maintain the city. SlaveCity is the first 'zero energy' town of this size in the world and functions without imported mineral fuel or electricity.

This interview took place at Tate Modern on October 20 2007.

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