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16/10/2008

Five Exhibitions

S.M.A.K. - Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst, Ghent

Werner Mannaers

Although the Belgian painter and artist Werner Mannaers (b. 1954, Schoten) has an artistic career of almost thirty years behind him, in the world of art he has always remained a minor player and amateur. Indeed, not all his work is easily approachable.
His many paintings reveal a true ‘sampling’ mentality in which Mannaers – who is extremely well-read – freely uses philosophical excerpts and quotations and links these to quotes from work by almost all the great twentieth-century artists. However, as far as Mannaers is concerned there is more to his work than just the quotations. In each of his works his ‘art historical’ approach to painting is dowsed, in a very unique manner, in an amalgam of references from his personal life. This gives a many layered effect to his paintings.
Nevertheless Werner Mannaers’ paintings are not really hermetic. Through his use of bright colours and frequent references to elements in popular culture, what appears to be difficult is sprinkled with a humour that puts things clearly into perspective. Mannaers’ paintings are ‘hopelessly humoristic’ and effortlessly interweave existential questions with an elegant lightness and in a style of painting that is constantly changing.

The exhibition in the S.M.A.K. focuses on Werner Mannaers’ paintings from the last three years supplemented with a ‘core’ of earlier work. The aim of the exhibition therefore is to present anything but a chronological overview of Mannaers’ vast number of many-layered paintings. Instead, it attempts, through a subjective but carefully selected presentation of work in which the artist himself worked closely together with several curators of the museum to point out various paths, resonance and lines of thought in Mannaers work as a whole. This was done not in a linear or narrative way but more in one that was open and not compelling, to give the spectator insight into the artist’s association- and work process rather than an acquisition of the meaning of each work.

At the end of the exhibition (on 18.01.2009) a book will be published that deals exclusively with Werner Mannaers’ paintings.

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Coming People
The benefit of the doubt

”Most of my musical heroes did not live to an old age. Maybe this is what makes their music so direct: a pile of expectations, a hunger for more!”

Coming People is a selection. The choice of two curators who work in the S.M.A.K. in Ghent and made in 2008. They make a selection from the masters, graduates of Kask (Royal Academy of Fine Arts) or St-Lucas School for Higher education. In principle everyone has a right to this selection. However here it is not about a principle, a strategic or political choice. It is about a fairly subjective and largely relative choice. It is more a confirmation of dormant ambition, projected talent, a first sketch of expectations. It is not a final evaluation and definitely not an unconditional recognition of an absolute opinion. The opinion is always related to the artist, to the age and the context.

Through Coming People each of the selected artists receives a credit line filled with advantages. The greatest advantage on this credit card is the benefit of the doubt. Ultimately our aim is to credit potential. Will everything selected confirm the quality of this first encounter in the future? Who can say, but we are not afraid to admit doubt. But here and now we recognise possibilities and we see something happening that reveals an ambition. Which is enough for us to give the artists the benefit of our doubt.

Coming People brings together a collection of work by Bert De Geyter, Marianne Goossens, Yves Obyn, Mark Plas, Jan Rymenants, Maarten Dings, Mattias Christiaens and Samuel Vanderveken.
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Rinus Van de Velde

Underlying the recent drawings of Rinus Van de Velde (b. 1983, Belgium) is an obsessive documentary process in which the artist gets to work with his own archives of photographic images. Deciding precisely which images are eligible is no easy matter, but it is clear they have an implicit ideological charge and testify to an ordered world view, a contemporary myth. However Van de Velde is not a documentary artist, nor does he treat his records as objects found, but as basic material for charcoal drawings. Not so much to express a particular essence or to dismantle the structure of the image, but for the effect of the drawing itself, for the value the spectator attaches to it. At the same time Van de Velde appropriates the material and, through adding texts for example, tells a new lie.

In ‘William Crowder, 40 years of sculpture’ the artist presents a concise overview of the life and work of the American sculptor William Crowder (1913-1979). Using a few key works by Crowder and drawings describing his career, Van de Velde compiles what is almost an artistic biography in which the spectator himself can fill in the gaps. In this way he doesn’t only comments on the myth of biography but also the myth of autonomous art in which the biographical information or social status of the artist is of secondary importance. In the meantime Van de Velde dissolves his own biography and personal programme in lies. (Koen Sels)
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Faux Jumeaux

Michel François who comes from Brussels has received carte blanche from the S.M.A.K. to determine the exhibition programme in two galleries for more than a year. François has chosen two identical exhibition rooms and has named his project Faux Jumeaux (false twins).He will ask 15 people to each select two works of art which, although very similar with regard to form or material, were created independently. Which similarities or differences between the two works will come to light when they are ‘mirrored’ in the two identical galleries? The presentation will change every month: one or more pairs will be added or removed. The people who have selected a Faux Jumeaux will elucidate their choice. All the selections will be compiled and elucidated in a publication later on.

The first choice is that of Michel François himself. He will exhibit a work by Ann Veronica Janssens and one by Michelangelo Pistoletto. This ‘pair’ underlies the whole concept of Faux Jumeaux. François witnessed a heated discussion between two museum directors about the striking similarity between two works, while he knew that Janssen’s’ work had been created quite independently of that of Pistoletto. Now, for the first time since the discussion, he will actually bring these two works together as the first offering within this project. He will elucidate his choice on Sunday 19th October.
He will be followed by Loic Vanderstichelen and Daniel McLean. Each will present their own interpretation of the Faux Jumeaux rooms. They too will elucidate their choices to the public. This will take place on Sunday 14th December.

Faux Jumeaux will precede Michel François’ first important retrospective exhibition and publication which the S.M.A.K. will present in October 2009.

This project is part of the event ‘Carte(s) Blanche(s). All Eyes on the FRACs, and vice versa’ coordinated by PLATFORM and is supported by the European cultural Season, organized during the French Presidency of the European Union (July 1st > December 31st, 2008).

With the support of:ambassade de France en Belgique, Alliance Française, Ministère de la culture et de la communication (Délégation aux arts plastiques-DAP), Culturesfrance.

Lectures 'Faux Jumeaux'
Michel François
19.10.2008 - 2pm in S.M.A.K. (French spoken)

Loïc Vanderstichelen and Daniel McClean (French and English spoken)
14.12.2008

SMAK - Stedelijk museum voor actuele kunst
Citadelpark, Gent
Museum:Closed on Monday
Tuesday through Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm
Closing time cash-desk: 30 minutes before closing of the museum
Closing time museum rooms: 15 minutes before closing of the museum
Entrance fees
€ 6: individual visitor
€ 4: groups from 15 persons, under-25s, over-60s, students
€ 3: school groups (untill June 29 2008)
Free for under-twelves, disabled and persons accompanying groups.
Admission to the museum is free for citizens of the city of Ghent every Sunday morning from 10 am to 1 pm.

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