C

William Phlips

Artist

 

C

William Phlips

Artist

Set designer William Phlips is a man of the world who traveled half of the globe, with plenty of colorful souvenirs to back it up. When entering his home, you forget you’re in Ghent (Belgium), for the paraphernalia, posters and findings rather give you the impression you’re about to set foot in an exotic gem. William has been to places, and he’s been around for nearly sixty years. “I have no kids, no wife. I’ve got a girlfriend I would like to keep. I don’t own a car, and I live in a modest way. You wouldn’t say that when you look around, now would you?”

Set designer William Phlips is a man of the world who traveled half of the globe, with plenty of colorful souvenirs to back it up. When entering his home, you forget you’re in Ghent (Belgium), for the paraphernalia, posters and findings rather give you the impression you’re about to set foot in an exotic gem. William has been to places, and he’s been around for nearly sixty years. “I have no kids, no wife. I’ve got a girlfriend I would like to keep. I don’t own a car, and I live in a modest way. You wouldn’t say that when you look around, now would you?”

 

Your home looks quite unusual; it looks like a piece of art.

Hilarious you mention it, for its owner says the same. I’ve been living here for 25 years, relying on private patronage. The owner has become a good friend of mine who’s always very happy to stay here. She blessed me with the following words: Do me a favor. Live, work and enjoy life!

With this in mind, you guard and adorn the place that counts multiple floors. Where do you live and work?

The house is in constant movement, and I work everywhere. There’s a gallery downstairs, and my atelier is upstairs. During wintertime, I live on the top floor and with the change of seasons, I move more downwards. Instead of heating up the entire place, I prefer to go to another room. My home is one big work and party space. In my kitchen, there’s a table that can seat up to 20 people. Now and then I organize dinner parties and small events, or I have guests staying over. There’s always something going on.

So instead of going to a bar, people come to you.

Indeed. This year I’m turning 60, and I’m quite aware that I need to calm down. The older I’ll get, the less I’ll be able to move around, and that’s why I like to have things close by. My house is a bar, a restaurant, a home, a gallery and an atelier. With all of this, I have no reason to go outside anymore. So people come to me instead. Consider this house as a depth investment. [laughing]

You don’t have a website, and it’s difficult to find information on what you do. Do all your activities result under the title ‘set design’?

It took me a while to appoint what I do. I used to make a living as a set designer working in the field of theatre, which also involved taking care of the costumes, posters and the whole production. My ideal is when the set is an essential component of the production. And during the entire working process, it’s the preparation I enjoy the most because it gives me the opportunity to immerse in research and books. Next to set and prop design for theatre, film, events and interiors, I also have my own thing. I draw and paint and make installations. And when I’m not at work, I’m traveling.

How does one become a set designer? Is it something you always wanted to do?

No, it wasn’t. My dad was a house painter, so was his dad and so on. So unmistakable I was supposed to follow in their footsteps until I told my dad I was afraid of heights. The painting wasn’t my calling. So I went to the Academy of Aalst where I developed a love-hate relationship towards the arts. From Aalst, I moved to Ghent, where I was caught in the middle of these local festivities called ‘De Gentse Feesten’. This was nearly 35-40 years ago, and I never left. [laughing]

And gradually you ended up in the theater scene. How did that come about?

I started my career as a member of a fanfare, called ‘De Lochte Genteneers’, where I came across Erik De Volder, who was my partner in crime for a long time. One assignment led to another, and that’s how I ended up doing theatre. I’ve worked for several theatre companies, always operating from the sideline.

Your home is filled with extraordinary objects. Are you a collector?

I guess I am. You can see souvenirs, local founds, posters and drawings I’ve made. But also, a lot of stuff I used to build models with. Some objects can grab my attention and make my head spin. Quite often I use ready-mades and old objects with a history, for I do not like new stuff.

The kitchen is fascinating. Which material did you use for the counter top?

That piece of furniture is made of material used to separate cows in stables. It’s Tournai stone that I subsequently treated with oil. I love fabricating and combining materials to come up with something new. I have a tendency to assemble stuff I find on the street, but I have to put a stop to it. You wouldn’t say, but actually, I’ve already thrown a lot out.

You love traveling. What are your favorite destinations?

I’ve visited Thailand, Indonesia, Java, Bali, Tibet, Papua New Guinea and West Africa, but I’ve never been to North or South-America. I’m always looking for utopia, the best place to live, and I have found it several times, but there’s always something missing. And although I love traveling, I’m done with it. It’s time to start moving in my head and process the information I’ve been storing in my brain

I see a lot of African influences in your work.

Yes, Africa changed me a lot, but I’m already inspired by a new source. I have to be fully absorbed before I’m able to let it go and move towards something new.

Is organizing an exposition also part of ‘letting-go?

For the first time in life, I’m showing my work in an official gallery. The drawings, models and sculptures I made were always part of the research I was doing for a production. Entirely different is my own work that has become more and more autonomous. A while ago I worked and lived in Togo for six months, and I created this series called ‘Dieu et sa Soeur.’

‘Dieu et sa soeur’ means ‘God and his sister’. What do both have in common?

With a local advertising painter in Togo, I worked on the series, which is about lying and deceiving, the sadness of human race and a country. It’s an answer to religion in Africa, whereas everyone is religious. Repeatedly people asked about my religion. To those who were curious, I answered the following:
Not really.

Don’t you believe in God?

I do, but I prefer corresponding with his sister.

He doesn’t have a sister.

That’s what he says. But I know better. If you look at our society, women rule the world, while men pretend to have the power. But if you would take away the women, the world would turn into complete chaos. Same goes for the situation up there. When I say this, I hear them thinking that what I say makes sense.

Could you tell us some more?

No, I can’t. It’s between her and me. I don’t like big groups to practice my faith; I prefer to do it in private.

Text: Magali Elali
Photography: Bart Kiggen
William Phlips