Beautiful Indiscretions.
A group show about the unapologetically indiscreet,
chosen by Koes and Cokkie.
With works by
Heike Kati Barath, Larissa Esvelt, Florian Hetz, Pieter Hugo, Paul Klemann, Sal Salandra, Koes Staassen
Thinking about discretion we have all known moments in our lives where we had to be discreet; situations where we couldn’t be as forward as we would have wanted, where we might have felt othered by the world around us. ‘Beautiful Indiscretions’ brings together an international group of artists whose work deals with notions of speaking out in a seemingly joyous manner about topics that in the past often remained unseen.
The exhibited works deal with highly personal reflections on themes like identity, sexuality and religion while opposing strict norms set by mainstream society. Each artist succeeds in bringing a skillful approach that doesn’t just confront, but seduces the viewer to engage with what often is deemed to be indiscreet.
The participating artists are:
Heike Kati Barath
When first confronted with the figures in Heike Kati Barath’s paintings we immediately notice their humorous joyous demeanor. When we spend more time looking though, the bright colors and playful brushstrokes give way to underlying states of mind; these figures become personalities with their own anxieties and troubles wanting to be known by us.
Larissa Esvelt
Larissa Esvelt’s life-sized soft sculptures are often concerned with our relationship to those things deemed ‘other’, crossing into territories of both the real and imagined. Her ladies ‘bending over backwards’ are placed playfully, supported by pieces of furniture, their vulnerability on full display beckoning the viewer to approach them in a soft and empathic way.
Florian Hetz
Berlin photographer Florian Hetz approaches photography as a means of capturing and creating memories. In his AIKO series, from which 4 photographs are in the exhibition, he playfully juxtaposes photographs of bodies with photographs of intimate rooms. His visual language is hyper-focussed and immediately recognizable.
Pieter Hugo
In his latest series, Solus Vol. 1, Pieter Hugo approaches the subject of ‘atypical beauty and youth’ through vulnerable portraits of street-cast models who all elude notions of ‘traditional beauty’. Odd, queer, atypical - Hugo invited the models to come as they are, presenting themselves in a direct and straightforward manner, so we see their uniqueness worn with confidence.
Paul Klemann
In order to get a grip on the world around him Paul Klemann has been meticulously drawing his dreams for many years. The incomprehensible and often fantastical scenes cover a wide range of topics; from the deeply personal to broader societal issues. For Klemann his dreams are a refuge, a way to feel out the uncertain times we find ourselves in.
Sal Salandra
For the first time on show in the Netherlands are Sal Salandra’s ‘thread paintings’. What used to be a rather peaceful hobby of needlepoint for 40 years, has turned into something definitely more explosive and sexual in the past 5 years. Sal’s erotic thread paintings are sweet and colorful, yet provocative in combining mythical lore with imagery from sexual subcultures.
Koes Staassen
In Koes Staassen’s intricate drawings we bear witness of mysterious situations. We don’t get the full story here, just a glimpse of playfully erotic rituals he carries out and then renders in soft graphite or boldly colored color pencil. In a new video he explores layering subjects of desire over his own body, dissolving clarity and boundaries between.