"Abstract realism or algorithmic magic"
A duo presentation by Diederick van Kleef and Mike Ottink.
Analogous to the title, Ottink and Van Kleef are apparent opposites.
Yet in their friendship they inimitably go through fertile creative turns. A sparring-match resulting in, ideas, paintings, sound recordings, noise, band shows, performances, exhibitions, meals, drinks, fun, division and fraternization.
Their first meeting, 22 years ago, in "Sporadisch Antiquarisch", the then art, cult and curiosa bookshop-gallery, of Van Kleef at the Sarphatipark in Amsterdam. Ottink was looking for a handbook about Derek Bailey, an obscure, English, avant-garde and atonal, jazz-noise guitarist, and miraculously, spot on at Van Kleef!
It is not surprising, this place was a magnet for creatives, exhibitors, hoarders, collectors, academics and VIP’s. It was a creative resource, springboard, disputation place and library for all kinds of cool cats.
Ottink still lives at the Sarphatipark, Van Kleef has transposed all his belongings to estate 'La Brelandiere' in France.
Their encounters with curious idea’s, experiments, images, sound and language, ever since continues ad hoc, and in an improvised manner. Now, virus permitting, culminating in a duo show at the Rotterdam based art gallery, Galerie Frank Taal.
Frank Taal 2020