For its summer exhibition, Coppejans Gallery brings together work by ten artists under the intriguing title 'The world of things'. This expo explores the necessity of sensory perception and the role of material ingredients in art practice. For some artists, the materialisation of their ideas is an inevitable challenge, while for others it is a source of inspiration and joy.
The exhibition 'Remains', which preceded this expo, focused on a pressing question from Nicolas Baeyens' PhD: what remains of a work of art when its physical form disappears? By sawing his sculpture into pieces at the request of the public, the sculpture transformed and became part of 180 collections. This raises the question of whether the physical appearance is still relevant once the work has been perceived by all potential viewers. In other words, can an idea, impression or memory make the physical object redundant?
Since Plato's theory of ideas influenced Western thought, the world of ideas and the sensory world have been separated. Despite the criticism of his disciple Aristotle, this separation continues to permeate the thinking and actions of many. This leads to contradictions such as body-mind, nature-culture, object-subject and even truth-perception.
A major criticism of Plato is that he places the world of ideas above the sensory world. In contrast, Eastern philosophies such as balance thinking emphasise the interconnectedness of the physical and spiritual worlds. They offer a dynamic, integrated view of existence, in which everything is interconnected. These differences in perspective show the diverse ways in which cultures understand reality and man's place in it.
Adriaan Rees illustrates these connections by dividing his art practice between Asia and Europe. He discovers how fundamentally different approaches can intersect and neither has a monopoly on a pure framework of ideas. For him, as with Joseph Beuys, Eurasia symbolises these complex connections. Among the selected artists, I discovered a wide range of approaches over the years. From Jan Henderikse, who brings together everyday objects unprocessed in bricolages and minimises his personal input, to Denmark and Wim Nival, who equate philosophy and craft, to Ilse Pierard and Wido Blokland, whose work seeks to penetrate deeper realities.
This exhibition highlights how everything is connected. The participating artists create work that relates directly to the human condition; it is tangible, wearable and personal. Despite their diverse philosophies, they share one common need: the world of things to materialise their ideas. Thus, each in their own way, they bring the sensory and idea worlds closer together and invite us to reflect on our own perceptions and beliefs.