© Cary Markerinck

In his work Wesley Meuris starts out from the interaction between architecture and our conditioned behaviour. He questions current conventions and the automatic approach we take to standardised architectural spaces. His starting point is the basic rules that have taken shape in the course of time regarding the dimensions, materials, proportions and division of the environment we live in. He plays with these conventions (cultural and otherwise) and questions them. In this way he sees to it that familiar forms and buildings come across as both recognisable and strange. His aim is to unravel the meaning of the constructions.

Since 2004 Meuris has been developing a zoological classification system for animals. Cages in zoos are usually designed in accordance with the needs and quality of life of each particular species so that it can survive in an artificial setting. Other important elements are the architecture, control and visibility. Meuris designed his own classification system for animals on the basis of a predetermined structure and his own visual experiences. The criteria he used are: the nature and species of the animal, the size and characteristics of the cage (water, type of ground, etc.), the climate conditions (temperature, humidity, etc.), care and eating habits, and lastly, the relationship between the cage and the public. Since the cages are empty, the work is at the same time a questioning of presence/absence and our own imagination. We automatically wonder who is being watched, the animal or the visitor.