27 january 2020, De Kunstmeisjes
Art Rotterdam Must-See tips from the Kunstmeisjes
Art is not difficult. Certainly not if it is explained well. The Kunstmeisjes, art historians Mirjam Kooiman, Nathalie Maciesza and Renee Schuiten-Kniepstra, review exhibitions in a contemporary way on their website and social media. Especially for Art Rotterdam, they share their five favourites.
NEW ART SECTION | Bel Fullana
Looking at the work of this Spanish artist, it almost seems as if the CoBrA movement has come back to life and is dealing with contemporary subjects. Her paintings radiate naivety, as if they were painted by young children. It makes us instantly happy. The hint of perversity you encounter puts you back on edge. It makes you think a bit longer about the a-moral aspects of our world.
Bel Fullana, Buffalo Booty, 2020, FRAN REUS.
MAIN SECTION | Remy Jungerman
Jungerman is doing well: he was -together with Iris Kensmil- the Dutch entry at the 58th edition of the Venice Biennale, and can now be seen at Art Rotterdam. With his wooden, geometric installations, he seems to be a continuation of De Stijl. But there is much more history hidden in his constructions. For instance, he refers to the traditions of the Marrons, descendants of enslaved Africans living in the interior of Suriname, and the African diaspora.
Remy Jungerman, Fodu composition SOOLAN, 2017, Galerie Ron Mandos.
NEW ART SECTION | Evi Kalogiropoulou
Evi stole our hearts with the video work The Beauty and the Innocent, in which all performers wear a suit with the print of a naked body. This nude suit is not a copy of their own body, but that of a fellow performer. As a spectator you secretly go looking for the rightful owner. We are confronted with the question: how do we see and judge each other? That question leads us to the underlying themes of gender, sexuality, ethnicity and being a man or a woman in this day and age.
Evi Kalogiropoulou, Picking saffron in evening Vol 3, 2019, SEAGER.
NEW ART SECTION | Alexandria Smith
Alexandria Smith is not only an artist but also an activist. Smith is a co-organizer of 'Black Women Artists for Black Lives Matter'. No wonder her artworks depict social issues such as ethnicity and femininity. Smith’s surrealistic paintings have a visual language of their own: abstracted body parts are mixed with fairy-tale decors.
Alexandria Smith, A Rigamortis Paradise, 2018, Galleria Anna Marra.
SOLO / DUO | Charlotte Klobassa
Charlotte Klobassa’s source of inspiration for her 'Scribble' series are the notepads people use when trying out a pen in a shop. The anonymous creators scribble something thoughtless, without wanting to achieve anything with it. Klobassa chooses, rearranges, turns and enlarges all these innocent doodles into paintings. It leads to a new arrangement of forms and colours on the canvas, which feels surprisingly soothing and fresh. Just like Rivella: a bit crazy, but tasty.
Charlotte Klobassa, jfyi, 2019, Zeller van Almsick.
