15 june 2023, Yves Joris
Waldburger Wouters: Greetings from Genoa and Brussels
In the world of contemporary art, there are always new ways to push boundaries and create unique artistic experiences. The exhibitions Postcard from Genova and Postcard from Brussels are a fascinating journey of discovery in which two renowned galleries, Pinksummer and Waldburger Wouters, join forces. The common theme (or perhaps red coral) connecting both galleries is the internationally renowned artist Mark Dion.
The title of the dual exhibition makes me dream of a past in which WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook did not yet exist and where during the summer, I listened anxiously to the clattering of the letterbox announcing the arrival of a postcard that sometimes took longer to arrive than the travellers themselves. A little research tells me that postcards were once considered a symbol of modernity: concise, simple and lightweight. Initially, they were allowed to contain a maximum of five words, otherwise they would be considered postage-paid letters by the traditional postal services. Five words is fewer characters than the average tweet. The postcard boom of the early 20th century was an international phenomenon, linked to the expansion and rise of the middle class. The upper classes disregarded postcards because they considered it cheap and vulgar that a message could be read by everyone. I can’t help but ask myself what that generation would think about today’s social media…
A gallery house swap
For the exhibitions Postcard from Genova and Postcard from Brussels, Brussels gallery Waldburger Wouters and Genoese Pinksummer Contemporary Art decided to follow a different and more modern travel trend: a home exchange. From 3 June to 8 July, the collections of these galleries will be residing at each other's locations.
Luca De Leva, Thyself Agency, Waldburger Wouters
Waldburger Wouters is located on Antwerpselaan, a busy traffic axis that cuts through Brussels. As soon as the monumental gate closes behind me, the noises of the city disappear completely and Tim Wouters, who runs the gallery together with Patrick Waldburger, gives me an enthusiastic tour through the works of such renowned artists as Michael Beutler, Mariana Castillo Deball, Mark Dion, Invernomuto , Koo Jeong A, Tobias Putrih, Jorge Quiroz, Tomás Saraceno, Bojan Šarčević, Georgina Starr, Luca Trevisani and Cesare Viel, as well as an outdoor garden project by Luca De Leva called Thyself Agency.
Mark Dion, The Blood Red Coral, 2023, Waldburger Wouters
Greetings from Genoa
Central to the exhibition is the work The Blood Red Coral (2023) by American artist Mark Dion, who unites two recurring themes of his oeuvre in this work: a fascination for nature and the complex way humans deal with it. The deep red colour of the coral emphasises the dynamism of life, but at the same time this life is threatened by the human presence that manifests itself through the numerous objects that cover the branches.
Mark Dion, Tomás Saraceno, Waldburger Wouters
The same vegetative presence can be found in the works Pneuma 150 and Ibytu 7.47 HM by Argentinian artist Tomás Saraceno. The fact that we are in illustrious company with this artist is proven by the fact that his work can currently also be admired at London's Serpentine Gallery. Handblown glass spheres in polyester net appear to float through space. Some are made partly of mirrored glass, so that you are in fact looking at yourself looking at yourself in the reflection of the work. Grasses hang from some of the spheres, pale next to the bright red coral. Just the opposite is happening here: nature takes back part of human intervention. People who are familiar with Saraceno's work can also enjoy two subtle cobweb works with which he once won my eternal admiration during an exhibition at the Palais de Tokyo: spider and artist as an extravagant artistic duo.
Koo Jeong A., SS (Seven Stars), Waldburger Wouters
A similar tranquillity can be enjoyed in the work of Korean artist Koo Jeong A. The small work SS (Seven Stars) hangs almost imperceptibly on the wall. The work barely measures 30 by 40 cm, yet I can’t stop looking at it, fascinated because the subtle use of colour makes the work almost vibrate and seemingly pull away from the canvas. No wonder this South Korean artist can look forward to a spot at the Venice Biennale next year.
Listing all the names and works would be excessive, but I think Brian Eno's words best describe this intimate setting “Stop thinking about artworks as objects and start thinking about them as triggers for experiences.”
From Brussels with love
Almost simultaneously, visitors to Postcard from Brussels in Genoa will in turn be able to get acquainted with the artistic richness of remarkable works by such artists as Elen Braga, Eli Cortiñas, Mark Dion, Filip Van Dingenen, Matthias Dornfeld, Charles Hascoët, Delphine Hennelly, Gerard Herman , Lynn Hershman Leeson, Klara Hobza, Jean Katambayi Mukendi, Geert Marijnissen and Julien Saudubray. The variety of artists and their works makes for an intriguing and versatile artistic experience.
Both exhibitions aim to create a concise and positive image, presenting perfect weather, a sunny day and a clear blue sky. It is as if they want to immerse us in the perfect world, where art invites us to enjoy the beauty of life and stimulates the imagination. The warm days of June provide even more incentive to get to know this fascinating gallery and its artists.
Postcard from Genova, Waldburger Wouters
