16 february 2024, Yves Joris
Three one four one five nine two: the infinite connection
An intriguing world of numbers, shapes and imagination unfolds in the exhibition space of Settantotto Art Gallery. The solo exhibition by artist Wim Nival, entitled Three one four one five nine two, invites us to explore the boundaries of the measurable and discover the invisible threads that connect us to the universe.
There are artists whose work you think you can immediately grasp because it looks so simple at first glance. You might also get that impression when entering Wim Nival's exhibition. Each subject tells its own recognisable story, but those who pay close attention to the work will not encounter a short story, but a novel that provides hours of reading pleasure.
Wim Nival, Z.T., 2023, Settantotto Art Gallery
Pi: the infinite connection
The title of the exhibition is no coincidence. Math enthusiasts and attentive observers will recognise the sequence of digits three one four one five nine two as the first six digits of the number pi (π). But it goes beyond that. It is also a reference to the connection between art and science, between the measurable and the mystical. It is an invitation to see the world through the eyes of an artist and a mathematician, to follow the lines that lead us to the unknown.
The circle of infinity
The number pi, representing the ratio of the circumference to the diameter of a circle, is a constant that has fascinated human imagination for centuries. In Wim Nival's work, we see this circle of infinity come to life in various ways, both implicitly and explicitly. His work seems to float between dimensions, with shapes bent and stretched like the numbers themselves. The surfaces reflect light at times, creating an illusion of continuous movement, as if trying to write mathematical formulas in the air.
Wim Nival, Z.T., 2023, Settantotto Art Gallery
The numbers whisperer
Wim Nival is a numbers whisperer. He listens to the silence between the digits, the breath of the universe. His mixed media works are like mantras, repeated patterns inviting us to delve deeper. Most of the titles of his work hide behind the letters U.T., untitled. Nival wants to stimulate our imagination, challenge us to look beyond the work, to create our own art canon. Any material can be fertile ground for his work: cardboard, wood, wax, metal and old drawing templates. Where some see the hand of a hoarder, Nival sees the softness of the material, the infinite possibilities of word and paper and the countless variations of geometric shapes that emerge from the existing environment.
A number made by walking
The exhibition includes a small publication named Walking Pi. The analogy with Richard Long's A Line Made by Walking is inevitable. Whereas Long created his own path by means of a repetitive walking pattern, Nival is guided by the fetishistic sequence of digits. In the footsteps of pi, he photographs numbers he encounters on his walks and combines them into the infinite number. Everyone knows that the book will never be completed, yet you keep flipping through it, letting numbers fly by.
Just as pi is a symbol of the infinity and unpredictability of the universe, Long's work raises questions about the relationship between humans and nature, between order and chaos, between art and life. But just as the decimals of pi seem endless, Long's artistic exploration of the landscape continues in a seemingly infinite series of works exploring the relationship between humans and nature. Whether it's creating circles of stones in remote areas or creating traces of mud on gallery floors, Long's work reminds us that art is not only found in the buildings of humanity, but also in the rugged wilderness of nature itself.
In both cases, pi and Richard Long invite us to engage in a deeper contemplation of the mysteries of the universe and our place within it. They remind us that the world around us is infused with beauty and meaning, and it is up to us to discover and cherish that beauty, even in the most unexpected corners of existence.
Wim Nival, Z.T., 2023, Settantotto Art Gallery
The constraint of a travel case
At first glance, Nival's work exudes tremendous freedom, inviting us to embrace the infinity of pi and venture out, but nothing could be further from the truth. A different interpretation of the exhibition surprises you with the sense of suffocation radiated by Nival's work. Many works are literally clamped between screws and bench vices – there is no escaping from the corset into which they have been forced. However, the most authentic (and poignant) work in my opinion is the travel case in the corner of the room. Perforations are a recurring element in Nival's oeuvre, symbolising openings that offer new perspectives. He has also carefully perforated the suitcase, confronting us with its emptiness. The suitcase is closed, yet we know it is empty. Who travels with an empty suitcase? Why is it perforated? Existential questions spontaneously arise from the work. Until you realise that the suitcase has an extension cord. The light streaming through the holes has no natural basis, but is the result of human intervention. So... your travel dreams are limited to the length of your cord, a metaphor for the constraints we humans experience daily.
The infinite connection
With this exhibition, Wim Nival has bridged the earthly and heavenly worlds, between fleeting glance and cerebral contemplation, between temporality and eternity. And we are the fortunate travellers who may cross this bridge, if only for just a moment.
Wim Nival, drie één vier één vijf negen twee, Settantotto Art Gallery
