Plaster
Merel Lambrechts
Verb: To mend/ Material: PlasterPlaster is not a durable material. Through use and exposure to rain and wind, it gradually erodes, cracks, and fades away. Because of this inherent material property, plaster requires continuous mending over time. Despite this, the knowledge of how to repair plaster is no longer common, even though many buildings in the region surrounding the barn were traditionally constructed with it. While the material remains present in the built environment, the skill to maintain it is largely absent. This intervention in the barn makes the erosion of plaster visible and tangible. Different conditions and forms of use influence how and where the plaster deteriorates, allowing the material to reflect time, weather, and human interaction. The act of mending the plaster is more than simple maintenance. By involving people from the surrounding neighborhood in the use and the repair, not only the material is getting mended but also the relationships in the region.