Art in corona times 79. Show curated by Robbin Heyker; Superweakness, The Hague

What is a strong exhibition?

Is it an exhibition in which the audience is enriched with knowledge and philosophy?

Is it an exhibition in which the audience will be completely overcome by an extraordinary aesthetic experience?

Is it an exhibition in which all works of art take their proud place in a solemn parade of greatness?

Is it an exhibition in which all works are hanging and standing orderly in line to give the audience an idea of objectivity?

Is it an exhibition in which the audience will be so terribly moved by what they have seen, that a selling point of handkerchiefs at the exit will be commercially viable?

Is it an exhibition in which the gloves will be off and the audience will be knocked out?

Is it an exhibition in which the audience will feel socially and democratically connected and will be better citizens?

Is it an exhibition in which the curator will lead like an autocratic Mahler-conductor?

After a lost but a zillion times copied painting by Jean-Jacques Henner (1829-1905)

Is it an exhibition which gives a view on post-colonialism, gender-inequality, the destruction of ecosystems and blackness and whiteness?

Is it an exhibition which proves its integrity by unreadable introductions which include all words necessary to be contemporary?

Is it an exhibition which is so exhaustively educational that the audience will feel happy like in a kindergarten?

At Superweakness curators are asked to make a “weak” exhibition.

In this case it was artist Robbin Heyker’s (1976) turn.

The original idea of the series at Superweakness was to make exhibitions without much fuss, and that will be on show for only one or two days.

That part of the super-weakness is lost already in this show, as it lasts some two weeks.

Besides, it is of course up to you as an audience to see if this exhibition is so weak that it will not enrich your knowledge, philosophically or otherwise,

that you will not be overcome by the aesthetic experience,

that you will find no solemn greatness in the works of art,

that you will have no idea of objectivity while looking around,

that you need no hanky for your emotions,

that you will not be knocked out,

that you feel as disconnected as always,

in which the curator has no conductorial aura,

that will give you no view on anything at all,

in which there is nothing to read to tell you what you see, and that doesn’t try to educate you.

Go and tell me later (why should i always do the dirty work telling you); it is at Willem Dreespark 312, The Hague and open on Saturday June 26 13:00-19:00 hrs; Thursday July 1 13:00-18:00 hrs and on Friday July 2 13:00-19:00 hrs.

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Contents of all photographs courtesy to all artists and to Superweakness, Den Haag

Bertus Pieters

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Bernice Nauta, Hello Echo; 1646, The Hague

I visited 1646 to write a review about Bernice Nauta’s (1991) present exhibition for Villa La Repubblica. Click here to read the review (in Dutch).

I leave you here with a few aspects of the exhibition without comments, as i’ve written already extensively about the show in VLR; and, of course, with the strong recommendation to go and see the show for yourself.

Click here to read the review in Villa La Repubblica (in Dutch)

Contents of all photographs courtesy to Bernice Nauta and her friends and to 1646, Den Haag.

Bertus Pieters

VILLA NEXT DOOR IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ADVERTISING ON THIS PAGE!!

The Ballroom; Billytown, The Hague

There is presently a moving bike with a burning candle on its saddle in Billytown.

It turns, moves and makes noise like a spoilt child, constantly trying to catch your attention.

Or is it the embodiment of thinking and creativity, trying to find a way out of the grids, structures and obstacles of life, society and the mind?

As such it could well be the noisy candle-barer of all the works in the present exhibition.

The Ballroom is a show constantly in flux and in the making.

Works may be changed or moved.

Although the exhibition has had an official opening, its end may well be its real opening at the same time.

No names or titles are added, but the works are all made by Billytown’s own artists and are all up to discussion.

One work may be more constant than the other.

The tables can be used for anything, from eating and drinking from, to discussing matters, or just to have a moment of sitting down and looking around.

The works are by Rachel Bacon, Melle de Boer, Kim David Bots, Afra Eisma, Robbin Heyker,

Paul de Jong, Bram De Jonghe, Maja Klaassens, Marius Lut, Bernice Nauta,

Nishiko, Robbert Pauwels, Iede Reckman, Suzie van Staaveren and Marieke van ‘t Zet.

Contents of all photographs courtesy to the artists and Billytown, Den Haag.

Bertus Pieters

VILLA NEXT DOOR IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ADVERTISING ON THIS PAGE!!

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