Nina VAN DENBEMPT - SUPERBROKEN SUPERHUMAN (2021)

In her sculpture SUPERBROKEN SUPERHUMAN, Van Denbempt brings Bunny, one of her comic strip characters, to life. This work of art is an ode to mental breakdowns, a frightening state of mind which, however, conceals opportunities for personal growth. The artist aims to normalise the idea that moments of crisis, doubt and chaos are an intrinsic part of our individual development.  

As such, SUPERBROKEN SUPERHUMAN expresses the hope that society will learn to embrace vulnerability with understanding rather than consider it nothing but a weakness. Today’s society encourages us to keep up appearances, while we often hide something entirely different beneath the surface: mental health struggles, growing shame and an obsession with productivity and perfection. Van Denbempt is tired of this trend. The artist hopes that the sculpture on campus can reassure passers-by who are facing an existential metamorphosis, making them feel less lonely. As a result, ‘superbroken’ as a mental state can be transformed into a superpower. 

Van Denbempt joined forces with the sculptor Tine Depoelpaep for the creation of SUPERBROKEN SUPERHUMAN. They decided to work together during the first lockdown, after getting to know each other at a mental health institution. Meeting in this vulnerable position gave them the opportunity to experiment on various levels. Throughout the process, they kept abreast of each other’s mental state, spoke with extreme honesty about their own limits and looked for a balanced way to develop the project together.