Exhibition: THE GAP – Abstract Art from Belgium. A Selection. Curator: Luc Tuymans
M HKA , Antwerp
30 January 2016 - 29 May 2016
©photo: M HKA, 2016
Focusing on the notion of abstraction in twentieth-century and contemporary Belgian art and the varying sources of influence and inspiration among the artists of two generations, renowned Belgian painter LucTuymans has selected fifteen artists whose work either articulates a relationship to abstraction or takes as its cue the definition of abstraction. Although the artists themselves have emerged from different periods and motivations, a clear formal relationship between the selected works is apparent, and thereby reveals a current and earlier interest in abstraction that has not lost its relevance over recent decades.
Working in a variety of media, including painting, sculpture and installation, the artists presented in the show are: Francis Alÿs, Carla Arocha & Stéphane Schraenen, Gaston Bertrand, Amédée Cortier,Raoul De Keyser, Walter Leblanc, Bernd Lohaus, Guy Mees, Gert Robijns, Timothy Segers, Boy & Erik Stappaerts, Philippe Van Snick, Jef Verheyen and Pieter Vermeersch.
Luc Tuymans, himself a figurative painter who constantly seeks to extend the traditional boundaries of his practice, has specifically selected these artists for the individual nature of their practice and the paradoxical way each of them uses their medium. Their works collectively investigate the potential, formal and conceptual tensions within the notion of abstraction.
Works by the earlier generation of artists represented in the show can be loosely situated within geometric abstraction and abstract constructivism, influenced by artists such as Piet Mondrian (1872–1944) and groups such as De Stijl (founded 1917) and the ZERO movement of the 1950s and 60s, as well as the American Colour Field painters. Whereas the more recent works by the younger generation of artists reconstruct and reinterpret the Modernist ideas and concerns from today's artistic point of view. Ultimately, this exhibition highlights the diversity of artistic practice within abstraction, while revealing intergenerational influences and allowing viewers to explore and be challenged by the depth and limits of abstraction.
The exhibition reveals the potential tensions, both formal and conceptual, generated by works when shown together, and in particular the links and developments between generations of artists. Works by peers, teachers and their former students, or assistants are shown in close proximity to one another.
In collaboration with Studio Luc Tuymans and Parasol unit, London.
Media
>Installation view Walter Leblanc
>Installation view The Gap
>Installation view The Gap
>Luc Tuymans introduces the exhibition and has a conversation with some of the artists of The Gap, during the opening of the exhibition in Parasol Unit, London.
WorksShow artists
> Gaston Bertrand, Le Hangar , 1951. Painting, oil on canvas , 66 x 82 cm.
> Gaston Bertrand, Peinture Froide , 1954. Painting, oil on canvas , 100 x 73 cm .
> Walter Leblanc, Mobilo Static M 027 , 1960. Mixed Media, polyvinyl strips on frame and box, 100 x 100 cm.
> Walter Leblanc, Twisted Strings, 1960. Mixed Media, strings on cardboard , 55 x 40 cm.
> Gaston Bertrand, Odéon, 1964. Painting, oil on canvas , 80 x 96 cm.
> Guy Mees, Espace Perdu [Lost space], 1964. Sculpture, neon, lace, 124 x 136 x 51 cm.
> Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten Antwerpen, Jef Verheyen, • 0505 • Morgen, 1965. Painting, matt lacquer on fibreboard, 149 x 149 cm, Ø 48,6 cm.
> Jef Verheyen, Untitled (Monochrome), 1967. Painting, oil on canvas , 60 x 50 cm.
> Amédée Cortier, Kleurvlak 1 , 1968. Painting, acrylic on canvas , 130 x 97 cm .
> Bernd Lohaus, Untitled , 1968. Sculpture, wood , 16.5 x 254 x 31.5 cm .
> Jef Verheyen, • 0107 • Monochroom Blauw - Morgen, 1969. Painting, oil paint on canvas, 80 x 80 cm.
> Bernd Lohaus, Untitled , 1970. Sculpture, wood, rope , Wood: 26 x 48 x 13 cm, Rope: 215 cm length .
> Bernd Lohaus, Untitled , 1970. Sculpture, wood , 14 x 87 x 38 cm .
> Guy Mees, Zonder titel , 1970. Collage, paper, crayon, 134.7 x 170.5 x 2.5 cm.
> Walter Leblanc, Twisted Strings PFX 225 , 1972. Mixed Media, cotton threads and latex on cotton canvas and cushion-shaped frame , 40 x 40 cm.
> Walter Leblanc, Torsions T 090, 1973. Mixed Media, latex on cotton canvas and box , 60 x 60 cm .
> Amédée Cortier, Drieluik met zwarte banden , 1975. Painting, acrylic on canvas , Each panel 45 x 40 cm .
> Philippe Van Snick, 10 dagen - 10 nachten, 1985. Poster, vinyl, canvas, cardboard, 20 x (24 x 18 cm).
> Bernd Lohaus, Während/DU/als Gegenüber/oder/zwischen dem/ICH, 1985. Sculpture, wood, chalk, 3 x (39 x 124 x 40 cm).
> Philippe Van Snick, Produktiestaat [Production State], 1988. Installation, plaster board, wood cubes, variable dimensions.
> Philippe Van Snick, Dag en Nacht Blokken , 1990. Installation, mdf, vinyl and acrylic , Each 21 x 21 x 9 cm .
> Guy Mees, Verloren ruimte [Lost space], 1991. Collage, wood, paper, 190 x 92 cm.
> Raoul De Keyser, Maaigem en Kabinet [Maaigem and Cabinet], 1991. Painting, oil paint, cardboard, gesso, 56 x 55 cm.
> Raoul De Keyser, Zilver [Silver], 1991-1992. Painting, oil, canvas, 82 x 67 cm.
> Bernd Lohaus, Untitled , 1993. Painting.
> Raoul De Keyser, Penetrant, 1995. Painting, oil, canvas, 180 x 120 cm.
> Bernd Lohaus, Untitled , 2001. Painting.
> Bernd Lohaus, Untitled , 2003. Painting.
> Gert Robijns, Untitled (replica Spalletti), 2003. Painting, mdf, paint, 200 x 600 cm.
> Boy & Erik Stappaerts, The Brain of the Panic Zone / Sit-In Black Space , 2005. Installation, 2 polyester sculptures in black painted room , Dimensions variable .
> Carla Arocha & Stéphane Schraenen , Untitled Leather (Chris), 2006. Mixed Media, digital print on leather , 490 x 80 cm.
> Bernd Lohaus, Untitled , 2007. Painting.
> Carla Arocha & Stéphane Schraenen , Persiana I , 2007. Mixed Media, plexiglass, acrylic paint, stainless steel .
> Carla Arocha & Stéphane Schraenen , Rooms II, 2010. Sculpture, marble , Variable.
> Gert Robijns, Nicecream, 2012. Mixed Media.
> Carla Arocha & Stéphane Schraenen , Up 2, 2013. Article.
> Gert Robijns, Red Flag , 2014. Painting.
> Gert Robijns, Corned Beef , 2014. Installation.
> Boy & Erik Stappaerts, Polarisation paintings 10 steps and 11 steps , 2014-2015. Mixed Media, spray painted lacquer and varnish on eight aluminium panels, 42 x 94.5 cm and 42 x 79.6 cm .
> Pieter Vermeersch, Untitled, 2014. Mixed Media, oil on marble , 39.5 x 34.7 cm.
> Timothy Segers, Utop 3D nr.2, 2015. Sculpture.
> Timothy Segers, UTOP a5 20150609, 2015, 2015. Mixed Media, powder-coated metal , 103.7 x 76 cm .
> Timothy Segers, Utop a8 , 2015. Mixed Media, powder-coated metal , 98.8 x 82 cm .
> Boy & Erik Stappaerts, Polarisation painting , 2015. Mixed Media, varnish on lacquer on aluminium panel, 181 x 107 x 1.5 cm.
> Pieter Vermeersch, Untitled, 2015. Painting, oil on canvas , 280 x 210 cm.
> Luc Tuymans, The Gap - Abstracte kunst uit België. Een selectie., 2016. Book, ink, paper, 28.5 x 24.5 cm, 31 p., language : Dutch, publisher : Museum van Hedendaagse Kunst, Antwerpen.
> Luc Tuymans, The Gap. Selected Abstract Art from Belgium, 2016. Book, ink, paper, 29 x 24.9 cm, 149 p., language : English, limited edition : 766/1200, publisher : Parasol unit foundation for contemporary art, London, ISBN : 978-09-5735-188-2.