Artwork of the month - video (53 sec).

Janus Puzzle

Year	2025
Size	38 cm × 48 cm × 5.7 cm
Materials	Laser engraved Wood
Edition	1/1
For Sale	No
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Since the end of 2022, Frank&Robbert Robbert&Frank are collaborating with Dertien12 architects in the design and creation of several art integrations as part of the Arcade project in Gistel (BE). The housing project for Arcade provides care and shelter for over 40 young people. In total, three large new buildings have been built on the premises.

R&F F&R are creating a myriad of different visual art integrations throughout the project: special tiles as part of the interior floor design, an outdoor area with an integrated concrete table / sundial carried by ceramic figures, a fire pit guarded by corten steel protector figures, and a mural depicting a ritual.

To celebrate this collaboration and the New Year 2025, the people of Dertien12 architects asked Frank and Robbert to create a unique artwork— this artwork should carry all good intentions for the year to come. The artwork itself is the basis for the New Year’s card that Dertien12 architects sends out.

R&F created a mesmerizing wooden inlay puzzle. At its heart are the silhouettes of the three architects’ heads. Each head exudes a sense of wisdom and reflection, their expressions timeless, as if drawn from the continuum of past, present, and future. In ancient times, it was a common practice to depict oneself in the past and the future during the time of the year’s renewal. By contemplating what went wrong in the past and what changes one wants to make for the future, a powerful intent was created. This practice was linked to the celebration of the God Janus; therefore, we name the month in which we create this intent, the month of January.

Encircling these central heads are depictions of essential architects’ tools—an ornate meter, a weathered hammer, and a compass. These tools the foundation of creation: measurement, laws of nature, and geometry, the tangible elements that shape the intangible dreams of visionaries.

Interspersed among these tools are enigmatic symbols, their origins rooted in ancient languages long forgotten. These glyphs give an extra dimension to the piece. They do not only evoke a sense of mystery but also link to the floor tiles of the Arcade project in which Frank and Robbert made floor tiles based on hieroglyphs of ancient languages that were never translated.

The puzzle has no front or back. It is an upright three-dimensional puzzle reminiscent of the game ‘four in a row’. As such, it acts as a tool for dialoguing and playing. The design of the puzzle carries within itself a built-in dualism; the right side of the puzzle seems to have a positive energy with elements that refer to construction, whereas the left side refers to imminent danger and destruction. This juxtaposition invites the viewers to consider the lessons of history not as relics but as vital resources for reshaping the future. The artwork challenges its audience to engage with the idea of continuity and reinvention—where the mastery of past knowledge becomes the foundation for modern transformation.

In its entirety, this wooden inlay puzzle is a poignant meditation on the cyclical nature of human endeavor. Through its layers of meaning and exquisite craftsmanship, it bridges the gap between the ancient and the modern, inviting all who behold it to reflect, learn, and create anew.

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