Commentary ‘Take Five ‘ 1
Naar aanleiding van mijn
betrokkenheid bij een presentatie van de kunstenaarsgroep
(EX)-MÊKH eerder dit jaar
werd aan mij de vraag gesteld om hun ‘Takes Five’-presentatie(s) te begeleiden
met een geschreven commentaar. Mijn
voorafgaande bijdrage in De Cacaofabriek in Helmond bestond uit het leiden van
een ‘artists talk’ en het bleek al snel dat een aantal vragen vanuit die
tentoonstelling mischien bij deze Take Five kunnen worden beantwoord en nieuwe
ontdekkingen kunnen worden bespeurd.
Ik zie deze rol van commentator voornamelijk als de verwoording als mediator tussen werk , kunstenaar en publiek . De rode draad zal met name worden gevormd door een persoonlijke tekstuele blik naar de ontwikkelingen en voortgang van deze presentaties. Daarnaast hoop ik ook favorieten, ontroering, vragen, verrassingen en eigen zelf-momenten te kunnen bemachtigen , die ik best wel eens met een publiek wil delen. Ik volg en beschrijf dan ook met grote afwachting en spanning al die ontwikkelingen en reacties die de kunstennaars zullen gaan maken in dit zeer afwisselend Take Five expositie programma in de komende weken.
Mijn verhaal zal zich op een gegeven moment spontaan voortzetten in de Engelse taal mede daar deze nog steeds door diverse redenen als het eerste op het puntje van mijn tong ligt.
Nu de groep (EX)-MÊKH met de eerste ‘Take Five’expositie
weer is teruggekeerd in Den Haag , kenmerkt deze zich onmiddellijk door een heldere opzet en een thematische draad
van gelaagdheid en zelf-reflectie. Ik wil niet eindeloos uitweiden over het
verleden en de eerste ontwikkelingen en
samenwerking , de conflicten en diverse uitdagingen aan elkaar en onderling
tussen de individuele kunstwerken in de eerdere publieke presentaties die
(EX)-MÊKH in de afgelopen jaren in een grondig zelf onderzoek heeft ondernomen
. As they say the work and
current presentation – speaks for itself.
On first of
all entering the exhibition space I am immediately struck by the clearity of
this exhibition; the spatial layout, the light and the sound (*more on that
later) all follow and emphasize the theme of reflection.
My
underlying and continuous question, what is the difference between a coherent
thematic group show by individual artists, who are selected and brought
together in a presentation to that of this collaborative group presentation is
now partially answered by this decipherable maturity. The research and collaborative experimental
process between all four (EX)-MÊKH artists, which preceded the current show, is
demonstratively visible in this work. And not this time through literal
interventions.
But back
again to the current show I was struck by the surrounding works of very layered
self -reflective portraiture in various media and arts disciplines centered by
(two) spatial construction(s) by Ellen Rodenberg assembled by her found, used
and discarded consumer debris.
The light
gazing portraiture space is interrupted by the intermittent sound of church
bells and a light continuous tropical soundtrack belonging to a not yet clearly
seen video. A video by Ellen Rodenberg; an account of a journey, encounter of a
challenging different culture framed within a modernistic art historical
perspective and further barricaded by a towering ceiling height white
polystyrene structure.
The first
pair off in the’Take Five’ intervention by Ellen and Kees Koomen is joined by
invited guests G.J de Rook with photographic self portraits in which the
artists blatantly looks at you from behind sunglasses and between two spread
out fingers and states in total denial ever having been interested in
contemporary art at all. Yet the photos participate beautifully in the
self-reflection of the entire surrounding spatial works including the three
theoretical and analytical mind-map works by Michiel van Soest. Portrait of
self -awareness of exterior and interior, from visceral imagery to web browsed
historical archive pictures of culture as we have seen it.
Alongside
the covered window in a light gray toned shadow, letters cut out, remind us
that ‘Alles is schaduw’. (all is shadow).
You still
need objects or just things to cast the shadow and hence it is placed alongside
and in this exhibition, when all has gone, the shadow remains for a while.
The shadow
of formative influence is painted by Kees Koomen and set on the floor in three
portraits of those minds, who have helped him to face you now as an artist in a
full frontal portrait. The surface is covered by dancing, rippling water and
framed within a video projection. You are invited in yourself, who ever you are
through the mirror placed by the side.
The
invitation continues in the other video projection by the artist in which the
back of the head, one presumes of the artist, is seen in all stillness
contemplating a close up shot of a green moving and waving landscape of
rustling green leaves of a cherry tree. Life. Art.
Interrupted
by the occasional ringing church bells. The contemplator is unaware of your
presence behind him and you can just step unheard and unseen into the picture.
The
self-portrait of the other invited guest artist Stijn Peeters is a large green
figure dancing a grotesque prancing carnival dance. The man is plastered all
over by small exquisitely executed paintings of personal family memories and
small archive photos. A dichotomy of the
dancer; the artist and his location: past and presence.
This voluntary
admittance of personal baggage is present in various disguises throughout the
show, self referential in icons in the work of all five artists and in a
centered and bordered installation, used as a steppingstone by Ellen Rodenberg.
These
plastic male figures, popular Eastern Asia strip cartoon icons holding aloft or
facing the other side of visual cultural culture; the continuous
acknowledgement by artists of art history.
Their
plastic colours of yellow and skin pink cause a disruption of otherwise too
much good taste.
I did find
it quite interesting to note that as the only woman artist in the group EX-MÊKH
Ellen Rodenberg finds her way through an installation; its components of wooden
slats of art transport crates, Styrofoam packing cases, describing a confined
constructed spatial rhythm in the exhibition space.
In the
adjacent space her personal video account of the Indonesian residency can only
be seen from a distance and is partially obscured by two flat painted sheets.
Questioning and acknowledging again the flux of modernism today.
The latter
is brought to a full frontal confrontation by her remake of de Koonings’Woman’.
A knowing malicious grin if ever I have seen one.
I
particularly like the prospect of the tempo rarity of this project as it develops.
I can safely bet so very differently. My comments are going to follow this
process very randomly and I guess for all involved the first hurdle has now
been faced. The writing is intended to be spontaneous with bits to keep and
bits to throw away. As is stated eventually all is a shadow.
Ineke Van
der Wal 2009
http://www.inekevanderwal.com/
(EX)-MEKH Takes Five –Part 2
After a
week’s absence, silence I enter the exhibition space of the follow -on
presentation and am immediately struck; confronted on the left by five long
sheets of kite-paper suspended in a previously clear space. I am stunned.
Earlier, in
the build up of the show, two paneled sheets were lying on the floor facing and
reflecting the translucent light coming from the light and gray text ’all is
shadow’ window and re-emphasized the content, light and the architecture of
that space most beautifully * This intervention changes the entire concept of
the previous presentation, which I guess now answers the question ‘ What is the
difference between a group show and a collaborative presentation?’ This work by
Hans Ensink op Kemma changes the identity, the vision and the entire concept of
the previous presentation of inner and individual retrospection. That is not to
say, I stress hereby that the work in it self does not add to these properties.
You have to acknowledge its visual impact, its temporality.
The
solution of hanging this five-paneled modernity on a metal wire, reminiscent of
a tightrope attached by wooden clothes pegs adds to the concept of the piece.
The constructivist double sided partially overlapping painting hangs from
nearly ceiling to floor and divides the space nearly from floor to ceiling,
interestingly in the middle one of the sheets reaches and touches the ground
The tightness of the grid interrupted by an irregularity of boundaries and
demonstratively visibly taped edges of the coloured ‘squares’, the frayed torn
edges of form, its luminosity, masking tape seams all these component details
add and demand an impact. Colours in a composition of blues, brown (weight),
soft greens, grays and yellows with a hard hit of orange. As you walk around
the work it moves with you and responds in a gently swaying undulating movement.
My issue
and query lies with its positioning the entire work is too large for the space
and does in itself as a total intersected moving crackling swaying luminous
coloured piece deserves a larger premise.
The
consequent infiltrary factor unto the space and the relationship it has and
will develop negates the property and view of this work. That to me seems a
pity.
Before I
forget during the week thinking about the first part of Take Five it came to me
the mind set work by Machiel van Soest
is totally – question deliberate- non-gendered, there is no mention what so
ever of bodily fluids, which from both male and female perspective is quite
relevant.
Back to the
show and walking around and hearing the reassuring and intermittent striking of
village church bells joined by the quiet chorus of the autonomous sound piece
which binds and connects all these works so well.
Maarten
Schepers photograph high up on the wall of a glimpse of blue ever lasting
Mediterranean sky divided by the vertical tops of pine trees and echoing the,
now unseen, but heard and known so well still screen film of ‘Contemplation ‘.
The unmoving and silent contemplator remains unaware of your presence behind
him. . As a viewer however this time it is impossible to join and enter the
space directly from behind him.
Which
actually says a great deal about the artist and his relationship to the viewer
the recipient of a work as opposed to the other piece in the show, in which the
artist literally invites and demands your participation in the culmination of
the final piece of the work through your reflection in the mirror placed
alongside the self-portrait.
And then
thank goodness for the continuous Son Goku’s mission, who continues to be
unwittingly ready and baffled to face her, her herself in an updated time yet
timeless Mona Lisa smile (grin)
Underneath
the Emergency exit sign, and again, straining my neck to see hangs Maarten
Schepers news cut outs; a personal archive of newspaper photographs, curiously
now by being removed from time and place; political actuality, cut out and
framed behind glass they become a formal art arrangement of images. Yet they so
poignantly converse and comment on the accuracy and credibility of the emotive
power of the original visual image. As a memorable component of our view of
ourselves, who we are and the world we inhabit at large. It links and nods
sideways to Stijn Peeters’ painting where on its surface family snap-shots are
transformed to scale into minutely executed and detailed paintings. The
photographic images in both of these works are detached from and consequently
changed from their original meaning.
And equally
this photographic work reaffirms the identity raised by the central
installations ( Not Me) Ellen Rodenberg on the question of positioning of the
artist, the work, the process and (historical) context.
Next
weekend the presentation (Take Five part three) is going to be so entirely
different so in some sense I shall have to close the door and say my farewells
to some very good friends. Yet at the same time I shall await the new in
excited anticipation.
Ineke Van
der Wal.
*In the
capacity of a commentator (and not a critic) it is allowed to write and use the
word beautiful.
**Also of
relevance is the spontaneous, slightly too poetical penciled and written on the spot comment on a wall of
the corridor leading to the exhibition space.
Commentary on the spot ‘Take Five “ 1+2
(EX)- MÊKH
‘Take Five” 3
Episode
three
A completely
different presentation instigated by two (EX)-MÊKH members Maarten Schepers en
Hans Ensink op Kemna with their invited guests:
Barney de Krijger, Marieke Klos Nies Vooijs and Roeland
Langendoen. Partly because
this very new and different work I feel inclined to add literal descriptions
and views in this commentary just to make it clear, also to myself, how the
power of the visual image extends it self over the word and maybe next time
around can muse on personal observations in a poetic
Tangent. As
I am inclined to do!
I was
walking along the dimly lit corridor this third time around to enter the main
exhibition space in Ruimtevaart and was vaguely aware of the penciled worded
text wall, but my eyes were instantly drawn to and sucked into a display not
dissimilar to a Matisse paper cutout. Inside the exhibition space it became
apparent that this work was very much solid and three-dimensional. Suspended
and spread out and hung high partially in the white shiny tiled alcove. A
wonderful sea-underworld construction.
Orange and cerulean blue tentacles stretched out and growing on these
tentacles was what looked like a green slimy looking growth. Thin nylon lines
suspended the forms and this playful construction was to continued and echoed
in the graphic works on the adjoining wall(s).
This
installation by Marieke Klos could equally be imagined to be a coral reef; it
invites you to see the invisible; in this case the deep and mysterious
underwater world.
The nylon
lines made me look sideways towards the network of delicate, thin spidery lines
in the drawings by Roeland Langendoen. The work in itself exudes light through
a glaze of primary colours. In particular the middle one of these three connect
back to the spatial construction by Ellen Rodenberg that occupied the centre
stage in the previous Take Five presentations.
Turning
around across on the other side of the room first on the facing wall a golden
glow of layered pencil markings so well constructed that the light resonates in
a circle from its surface. Two further
drawings are quietly beckoning. Densely worked; their appearance reminded me
instantly of the ‘Contemplation’ video by Kees Koomen in the previous
presentation. Images sprung to mind of leaves waving, glimpses of blue sky
amidst a sun dappled landscape.
It was a
total surprise to discover so far how much of the previous two’ Take Five’
presentations tended to linger and resurface.
I would like to think that not all is a
coincidence and it is the result of a deliberate meditation by some of the
artists in this particular part three collaboration of work.
Turning on
my heels and walking around, I cannot ignore and postpone this moment any
longer; facing aloft stands a small but impressive wood paneled house or cabin;
a shelter rose off the ground onto a platform. Next to it widely spread out is
the top of a lonesome pine tree. Walking
around underneath the plateau, which is divided by a support wall on three
separate corners you discover grouped formations of containers and vessels each
one demanding to be read as symbols and necessities of the origin of life.
There placed and given to view through the intervention by Maarten
Schepers. Uniformed sized books with
black covers. Some moldy and mil dewed. A few books lying on top were or had been
opened and given the appearance of being hastily abandoned by their owner.
Empty aluminum pans; utility pots in a sculptural arrangement stacked or placed
side by side.
A single
mattress with a dingy sheet thrown over the top, did someone sleep there or did
Tracey* leave in a hurry? Or are we invited for a rest which upon a second
visit the mattress was temporarily and spontaneously occupied by a tired and
read out visitor, who did not just take five, but took a nap as well, which
proves that good art communicates and demands participation on any level.
This
appearance of an archetypical house on a pedestal, aloft as an emblem. Tucked
inside of the cabin blackened by soot burns a single wick light. The lone pine tree stuck on the wooden
platform. The latter reminded me a bit, I don’t know why of the picture of Liam
Gillick’s cat perched high up in the 2009 Venice Biennale. All these combined
parts of this work add up as essential components to the continuance or origin
of life; vessels and containers rendered dysfunctional and displayed and given
a new meaning in their conjunction here brought together.
What is so
striking in this show is the level of audience participation either by
invitation or otherwise spontaneous. Invited by the artists and their use of
utility, everyday common objects. Mirrors are to be looked in, pots are lifted,
mattresses are slept upon and books are opened and pages read and further in an
untitled work by Nies Vooys a suspicious high consumption level of whisky .The
bottle which is clamped to the wall is one part of a personal archive of
memorabilia consisting of texts, images, photos, bits of lost curled tape and
other miscellaneous objects. The collective memory referred to again through
newspaper clippings tightly packaged and wrapped around the central column with
yellow cellophane. A formulation of personal recollections, bits of news that
appeared at the time and had to be preserved, cut out, stuck in time .You are
drawn to look through the shiny plastic, read and surrender yourself to your
own recollections. It is again a tribute how a specific personal memory becomes
collective, shared by all.
A black wig
a round metal clamp suggesting an absence of limbs or bodies; mirrors, which
capture moments of individual self-reflection. All found, random objects
repositioned and to be seen through the generosity of the artist intuitive
vision. Some of the items are positioned next to their paper image, the mirror
with you in it next to a photo depicting the artist’s studio. The real and long flowing hair is placed next
to news magazine photos of heads with wigs. The Malevich black and red cross
resurrected from an article and continues in red tape mark at the top of the
newspaper layers and creeps around the corner.
The red
rectangular Malevich shape is to be found again in the three- paneled work
-from dawn till dusk- by Hans Ensink op Kemna. The red sanguine forms pulsating
in a network of spaced bars that run parallel downwards. The reds are stained
in visible brush strokes unto hand made paper and give an impression of rolled
and crumpled rags, which have all been carefully collected and re-arranged, the
light drawing through from behind. The work does hang a foot away from the
window and is not to be viewed as a stained glass panel, but just as the word
facing on the opposite side still etched on the window pane reminds you as the
existentialist: is.
All this time whilst walking around the
all-invasive jazz tunes infiltrate the space not like the previous occasions
when the individual sound tracks commuted a gentler note. No this higher pitch
of reflection seems to be an even more literal interpretation of ‘Take five ‘
.A pervading jazz sound discordant at times; it is part of an installation of
sound, object, image and film by the artist Barney de Krijger.
In the
adjoining darkened space a saxophone heightens the sound effect. Numerous small
black balloons are expanding from all its orifices whilst the saxophone is
playing on determinedly. It is projected against a film screen and you suddenly
notice on the screened image of the saxophone in all their glory painted over
the black balloons names of jazz musicians. The balloons viewed s carriers and
messengers for the heroes of the age of jazz music. The object of a saxophone
manifested in full glory on the screen behind; a telling tribute to the
highlights of the golden age of jazz.
Barney de
Krijger also demonstrated in his film piece a passionate display for his
mentors and heroes, who unfortunately popped and exploded, disappeared from
view as can happen in real life only to make a renewed appearance seconds
later.
The icon of
a playing golden saxophone with its protruding balloons on the screen was
caught again in the window at the side in an additional moment of a captured
reflection.
This double
layer of a literal reflection was also the case of the installation of
tentacles just around the corner as the light faded that evening a shiny deep
shadow danced behind this still network of tentacles. The theme of reflection
pervaded in this collaboration, purposely or coincidentally, who knows!
The
collaborative response to each others work in this episode three was clearly
demonstrated in my view. Perhaps this was due to intensive discussions
beforehand between the artists.
The
connecting thread that one could pull to the previous presentations. References
were made visible in concept and or context. In the flow of conversations with
some of the artists these touch points were instantly mentioned and
acknowledgements were made to the previous ‘Take Five’ shows.
In the
current week of silence and partially non activity this particular presentation
of work can stay and just be, they can get used to each other- to be ready for
us to face us the scrutinizing viewer again and then again to be disrupted,
intervened through additional visual contributions by the two other (EX)- MÊKH
members for part four.
The single
word-text will remain on the windowpane. Silently, still.
IS.
Ineke Van
der Wal 2009
*no
malicious pun intended
Commentary
(EX)- MÊKH Take Five- Part 4,
Part four
with (re)-newed contributions by Ellen Rodenberg and Kees Koomen.
It becomes
immediately apparent that the’ inside and outside’ theme of Take Five episode three
is quite strictly adhered with a noticeable narrative content in this Take four
by both the invited guest Machiel van Soest and the new work by Ellen en Kees.
The
grounded on floorlevel contributions and a low viewing perspective continues
drastically interrupted with some high up well positioned and expanding works.
I rather
expect it by now that on the second takes I immediately find that I am drawn to
either previous
favourite points or
just that bit of work, which would not let go.
Still
framed by the main entrance to the exhibition the work by Marieke Klos; retains its strength and visual pull on
aproach from a lengthy distance; on closer scrutiny I discover that an aging
process has taken place in just one weeks time. The tentacle forms have shrunk
and withered at their very ends. Involuntarily the thematic bind to the show has been extended; the shiny
surface has retracted; the outside end bits have curled up and are tucked up
inside due to the inherent conditions of the property of the material used and
thus givinga new time dimension.to read the piece.
Ellen
Rodenberg in Borderlines’ makes the inside and the outside most obviously
visible through the interplay of a spatial separation. On four corners solid
wooden blocks supporting thin slats of wood installation; a probing self
determined and newly marked parrameters rose from the floor. Horizontally
stretched out, off-shaped square, just a few delicately balanced pieces of thin
wood describing a confined area, a distinct seperated bordered territory. I
noticed on the ground a very relevant, but nevertheless easily erasable chalk
line as a divide. A marker to where perhaps a new obstruction will be placed or
maybe there to indicate the interim nature
of this personally claimed space. The wooden slat or stick placed against the near window as a pointer to
the word ‘is resembles a flimsy barricade to stop the outside from entering; it
does to me appear superfluous and distracting from the muted opaque glass wall.
Adjacent a
painting by Machiel van Soest in which the paints marks appear pulled from
underneath the picture surface, the outside layer of skin. The inside made
visible by thin threads of colour.
With an
undeniable confrontational, but speechless address to the viewer there stands a
looped video by Kees Koomen projected from the bottom edge of the wall towards
you, and the floor you find yourself standing on. A simple still image of a face and shoulders
framed by, I happened to notice and further like, slightly frayed at the edges
white t-shirt. The expressive face is looking at you and touchingly
demonstrating to you basic emotions in a slowed down motion giving you enough
the time to enter into a maybe involuntary responsive dialogue. These few
immediate basic
emotions were so reminiscent of my own frowning articulations whilst
concentrating and writing on the text wall, the difference being I stand with
my back turned to the wall quite deliberately so and the video acknowledges and
needs the presence of a face to face contact and confrontational view.
Soundless
soliloquies. Eloquent yet mutant, but not like a mask, although that
could be implied, the inside quite clearly here becomes the outside.
Ellen
Rodenberg in’ Cross’ traversing and dividing a horizontally construction thick
bamboo cross formation placed just so to stop the viewer in their stride,
renegotiate the space placed to counteract the over domineering vertical*, I
shall definitely not explore the notion of three deities or any other Christian
religious popular overtone that comes to mind here a, in this case a single act
of recognition and consequent intervention is any woman’s prerogative.
Over the
entrance dividing the spaces hangs a small painting positions high up another
straining of the neck exercise quite fitting as the screen on closer scrutiny
appears to be overhead security camera with even shows the exact second of
time. A small painting
of a grey non-descript interior (perhaps parking garage) in which a singular
dark figure enters. A singular white paint streak connecting quite deliberately
the inside of the screen with outside our observed and consequently imaged
registered world. Similar
to what the artist does to observe and show the unobserved.
The
saxophone played on tirelessly, breath in breath out producing notes; some fell
unto the floor and re-arranged themselves. White folded secretive bits of
paper; I opened one and then one and one again, inside the author had revealed
notes and anecdotes from her art own practice some of which, also in this work,
linking to unsung or unseen heroes. Carefully they were returned to their
original spot, just there where they were so precisely arranged in a quiet
display. Attempts of participation or interaction by the viewer to pick up the
folded pieces of paper and find out whether there is writing hidden were few
and far between and at best tentative.
Perhaps
partly due to the fact that art viewing behaviour is conditioned and
instinctively adjusted to this separate white cube space. The respect which is
shown towards the formal arrangement, the private handwritten note, not based
on or unaware of content as opposed to the general response to Maarten Schepers
installation. The audience demonstrated an unknown hesitance and respect
towards the personal hand written notes; they were not easily opened and read.
Yet the book or even the aluminium pans for that matter seen in a pubic domain
are picked up, scrutinized, used at whatever personal level only to be put down
again at random fashion irregardless as towhatever shape or form it was in
before, the formal sculptural arrangement easily disrupted.
A few
purely pictorial images will remain in my mind for quite some time I am sure:
the yellow cellophane covered text and images stifling and perhaps even
deliberately silencing the words, the light in the proverbial house, blackened
inside and dark books outside, a face looking puzzled frowning to only break
into a knowing smile; red falling paper perhaps one stained on the inside now
visible through all the layers. An efferescent yellow paper circle to a dark
clamped wig.
I have been
fortunate to be part of some of the artist’s group discussions and became to
understand the initial need and formative background to form (EX)-MÊKH.
Which is
why I would like to pose the question to all of us now this reader, the
participant, the viewer what have we all individually and collectively taken
with us just for ourselves from the Take Five’s and best of all what would we
like to imagine for Episode five?
The
penciled text wall has come to its natural end too; this temporary personal
observation, so visible and accessible. Maybe some things need to remain
quietly hidden and unobtrusive. Just hinting on the outside surface to that
what lies underneath; just like the Take One’s to Four’s s have done.
Ineke Van
der Wal 2009
*implication
purely to the formal format of the work not the visual image nor content.
Commentory
(EX)-Mekh Take Five, final take. 5
With contributions by (EX)- Mekh: Ellen Rodenberg, Hans Ensink op Kemma, Kees Koomen en Maarten Schepers
And a re-appearance by the invited guests: Barney de Krijger,G.J de Rook, Marieke Klos, Nies van Nooij, Machiel van Soest, Roeland Langendoen en Stijn Peeters.
The premise
of this take five was an influential and consequent new (err) work by the
(EX)-Mekh artists with new additions of new work by the invited guests.
The first
thing that struck me in the fifth Take Five presentation that there was not a sound noise of any kind to be
heard; no clocks, bells or a tropical sound recording, no jazz notes ringing in
your ears. Absolute silence hung like a descending mist over the space. Whilst
standing there in the midst of it all it reminded me of the total eclipse of
the sun years ago: that moment when your breath halters stops in anticipation,
light fades gradually until dusk and darkness fall. From one moment to another
the world around you is still and time seems to stop just briefly. Then one
silhouette slowly glides across another, gradually changes what you see, covers
it and disappears again. Within minutes to return to dawn and full light again
and the world around us goes back to normal. All is clear and visible again.
That was
the Take Five – five presentations.
Now with
this new appearance of work it appears to be an impossible task to begin to
describe each and every single one realistically, there is so much to notice.
Let it be suffice to emphasize that the entire presentation rests on the unique
coming together of all these irreplaceable voices. A monologue of individual work, which in turn
presents an overwhelming sense of nostalgia, but also quietly conversing with
one and other under the scrutiny of an observant eye.
I can of
course describe all of the work quite memorably as in previous presentations to
link from onto the other; to emerge myself straight into the colourful long stretched paneled painting translucent
framed even squares, light diving through it to the yellow light sun entrenched split painting. I can compare and conclude the similarity
between the framed outlined colour spaces.
Confined within its space. And I can then dive into a descending cascade of grey blocks playing a dangerous perspective with
the eye. And where sideways to the canvas all the marks and colour drips of previous stages of the work are
clearly visible and add a
surprisingly sensuous
and tactile element to the work
I am not
going to.
There has
recently been a spade of exhibitions, a tendency in the arts circuit to curate
an exhibition based on an odd or early work from the artists career or to pick
that one pivotal work unfamiliar to the public, but which demonstrates an
influence, which becomes on seeing the work, immediately recognizable. Take
Five; episode five has followed this line of thinking; the four (EX)-Mekh
members have all selected an individual work that connects or leads to recent
crucial developments in their arts practise.
It has been
interesting for me to find the unexpected views and details in both the formal
in relation to the individual works and in the overall display of work. It
links and jumps well from one to another again through formal or contents associations to the unexpected
view within the architectural space. Peep through the cracks and turn your head
slightly from one work to another or to look sideways and underneath. Defying a
view point that ‘clarity is fake’.
I found and
noticed that the Mind maps this time presented on the white laboratory tiled
background delved much further within; both analytically and emotivelyin
content.
Which was
strengthened by the mind mapping painting, which enveloped future and past
essential elements; pointing fervently to the way forward; a dazzling array of
perspectives, jumping and racing across the surface to finally descend from the
painted frame and tumble onto a floor or wall and manifest themselves into
multi-faceted construction.
Underneath
the beguiling sensuous folds and articulation points, which fastened the work
to the wall was a hidden edgy political comment.
The
surprising and hidden manifested itself in all the works described to follow
here: as paint and sculptural elements met in a waxy sumptuously glimmering
textured surface. Stretched out over a three-part metal structure. The oval
surface cuts offered an unexpected look inside, the underneath and the adjacent
upturned inverted container, which could literally catch the waxy, drips
emanating from the cover surface.
An Eighties
in triptych tightly framed, fervent paint swerving and pointing the way
forward. Side by side to the heavy trod of a man in a Dutch southern lit
landscape with two blue buckets placed by his side; one full, one half empty
with a red sticker on his forehead commenting on the conceptual and the
commercial criteria which the artist grapples with.
Colour grid spread out on the floor like a
intersection of a
To a grey
dull cement washed surface; a heavy weight dragging down the four arms of the
octopus to the floor with the fifth arm ambling aimlessly behind. Peering through the tentacles a
thronged heap of electrical wiring is spilling out from a suspended
metal-framed house.
Attached to
the wall a metal bracket, resembling a medical
arm sticking our awkwardly holding a glass plate suspended in the metal house
construction from which electrical wiring spills over, rendered useless,
defunct.
The
unexpected further take on reality with a film/DVD box in clear view with its
plugs, wires and leads sticking out from the back
My comments
come to an end with a final glance on the light grey tonal piece as an interaction of a mass of coloured squares. Light pouring through from behind to bounce
back and capture and split in the middle of a yellow painting,
In some way
hopefully this long narrative above has offered a renewed glimpse of the
events, of all Take Five presentations. The memory lingers and changes and has made an
impact
on each one
of us who participated. That also includes the viewer and the reader of this
text. We will have brought something and taken something away to be used later.
Ineke Van der Wal