Magazine
05 march 2024, Flor Linckens
Idling and play in Annet Gelink Gallery
Ed van der Elsken, Jean Michel and Freddy, 1951, Annet Gelink Gallery
Until 30 March, you can see two simultaneous exhibitions at Annet Gelink Gallery in Amsterdam that delve into two universal themes: idling and play.
The first exhibition at Annet Gelink Gallery is themed 'play' and showcases works by Ryan Gander, David Maljkovic, Antonis Pittas, Josse Pyl, Lara Schnitger and Sarah van Sonsbeeck. The group exhibition delves into the intersections of art and play, highlighting their shared focus on creativity, imagination and world-building through a blend of intentional and subconscious methods, political undertones, chance and defined rules. The gallery space features imaginative creations like Josse Pyl's 'thought garlands', Antonis Pittas's depiction of a man dismounted from his horse, a velvet painting by Lara Schnitger and Sarah van Sonsbeeck's cheerfully coloured 'molehills', some of which play with reflection and optical illusion. Central to the room is a large sculpture by Michelle Chang Qin, marking her debut in the gallery.
Blind Man's Bluff, Annet Gelink Gallery. Photo: Gert Jan van Rooij.
Blind Man's Bluff, Annet Gelink Gallery. Photo: Gert Jan van Rooij.
The second exhibition in the Bakery section of the gallery is titled 'Lanterfanten' (which could be translated as 'lazing around' or 'idling') and showcases a collection of works by Ed van der Elsken (1925-1990). This Dutch photographer became famous for his iconic ability to capture the small moments of life in a universal manner. Sometimes these were spontaneous moments, other times scenes he directed on the spot. He was not particularly interested in the photo quality or the type of film he used — often purchasing it in small shops during his travels — but rather in the authenticity of the moment he captured. Van der Elsken preferred to photograph in the streets, especially striking figures. He traveled the world for his photography, capturing subjects ranging from the Yakuza in Tokyo to love-struck couples in Marseille. Van der Elsken's work is included in the collections of the MoMA, Centre Pompidou, Museum Voorlinden, the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art near Copenhagen and the Rijksmuseum.
Ed van der Elsken, Kamagasaki, Osaka, 1960, Annet Gelink Gallery
In Annet Gelink Gallery you get a chance to see a remarkable section of Van der Elsken's photographs. They depict young people from the 1950s to the 1980s grappling with issues similar to those faced by today's youth: housing shortages, a Cold War that occasionally threatens to heat up, excessive consumerism and concerns about the future — and from the 1970s onwards, the environment as well. However, these photos mainly show a lazy carefreeness, youths lounging in the streets with their friends and lovers, from Amsterdam and Moscow to Osaka and Tiel. Particularly older generations may sometimes long for this (often overly romanticized) era without smartphones.
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