William Ludwig Lutgens (b. 1991) is chiefly known for his drawings and paintings in which he depicts excessive scenes in an expressive, dreamy linear style. It is an often-burlesque universe that evokes the contrarian spirit of James Ensor with a biting sense of humour. For some time now, he has also been making more spatial work. An important recent piece within his oeuvre is That Clinking Clanking Clunking (2021), an installation of seven sculptures that allegorically perform a game of musical chairs. The heads of the various characters – who together form a colourful crowd – are made of painted ceramic. The artist has used recovered materials such as transport boxes, furniture and textiles for their bodies, which rest on a bar stool or another support. One of these characters has a demonic goat’s head and produces irritating music that is interrupted at intervals, just like a real game of musical chairs. The game serves as a metaphor for the ruthless competition within the capitalist system that is satirically depicted here.
