Adriaan Verwée’s (1975, Ghent, BE) sculptures and installations are often located at the intersection between remnants and completed works. What might an artwork be? At what point can a work be interpreted as an image? These are the central questions his works address. Verwée combines abstract geometric structures made of wood or plaster with objects or pieces of furniture to create unique compositions. Photography is another important medium for the artist: both to capture everyday impressions and to document his modus operandi.
Verwée makes objects and installations that are caught in the middle ground between the literal and figural, between construction and image. It is as if that decision is still under consideration, or left hanging in the air. Yet many of Verwée’s objects appear nevertheless to have a specific function, and as a result are an integral part of the here and now. The temporal and spatial character of his work is enhanced through the tension that the artist quite literally puts on his combinations of different objects: by, for example, giving gravity an active role, or by introducing elements that look incomplete or redundant. These elements often seem more like ‘remnants’ of the picture rather than a true part of it.
Additionally an enormous amount of attention is lavished upon certain materials and their relationships. This lends these objects an aesthetic clarity and quality, which in turn appears to completely contradict their suggested functionality. Furthermore, the artist seems to have no intention to create a vanguard image of a possible world, which he then offers in its totality to the gaze of the spectator. He arranges objects in the exhibition space in such a way as to suggest to “take it or leave it”. In doing so, Verwée engages the viewer in a spatial and temporal experience. Instead of an art that functions through strong and collective reference frames, an art form is thus generated in larger numbers; yet it is an art form that is always experienced and constructed on the particulier and on the individual level.
Verwée makes objects and installations that are caught in the middle ground between the literal and figural, between construction and image. It is as if that decision is still under consideration, or left hanging in the air. Yet many of Verwée’s objects appear nevertheless to have a specific function, and as a result are an integral part of the here and now. The temporal and spatial character of his work is enhanced through the tension that the artist quite literally puts on his combinations of different objects: by, for example, giving gravity an active role, or by introducing elements that look incomplete or redundant. These elements often seem more like ‘remnants’ of the picture rather than a true part of it.
Additionally an enormous amount of attention is lavished upon certain materials and their relationships. This lends these objects an aesthetic clarity and quality, which in turn appears to completely contradict their suggested functionality. Furthermore, the artist seems to have no intention to create a vanguard image of a possible world, which he then offers in its totality to the gaze of the spectator. He arranges objects in the exhibition space in such a way as to suggest to “take it or leave it”. In doing so, Verwée engages the viewer in a spatial and temporal experience. Instead of an art that functions through strong and collective reference frames, an art form is thus generated in larger numbers; yet it is an art form that is always experienced and constructed on the particulier and on the individual level.
Artworks
Articles
Media
Highlights
Recommendations
Collections
Shows
Market position
CV
Artworks by Adriaan Verwée
Articles on Adriaan Verwée
CV
Solo exhibitions:
2020 Staycation, Groupshow, Barbé Urbain Gallery, Gent, BE
2019 Pizzicato, No pop No up, curated by Jan Hoet Jr., Ghent 2017 Pitch-Buttock, Garage Neven, Ninove
2016 Handgeschöpft, Marion de Canniére Art Space, Antwerp
Come se niente fosse, Emergent Gallery, Veurne
2015 Towards the soul of the bottle, Mer Station 11, Netwerk, Aalst 2014 Adriaan Verwée, M – Museum, Leuven
2013 DAD, Loods 12, Wetteren
Solo Objects, Arco, Madrid
Early Works, Late Moment, Galerie Tatjana Pieters, Ghent
2012 Other People’s Trades, with Esmeralda Valencia Lindström, Arcade Gallery, London
Art Rotterdam, New Art Section, Galerie Tatjana Pieters, Rotterdam 2011 In TIPA, Drongen
Edition populaire, Antwerp
2010 On Alignment, Galerie Tatjana Pieters, Ghent
2007 BH/MC, Croxhapox, Ghent
2006 It Was In The News Today, One Twenty Gallery, Ghent 2005 The Final Speech, Croxhapox, Ghent
Group exhibitions:
2020
Michel Mazzoni & Adriaan Verwée, V2vingt, Brussels
2019
ZWRT, Barbé-Urbain Gallery, Ghent
2018
On Materiality, Dash, Kortrijk
Leyla Aydoslu, Rein Dufait, Johan De Wit, Elise Eeraerts, Valerian Goalec, Liesbeth Henderickx, Bernd Lohaus.
Da & Da, MLF gallery, Brussels
Nikolaas Demoen, Vincent de Roder, Stefaan Dheedene, Jonathan Michels
Curated by Luc Derycke
A one day show, Loods 12, Wetteren
Michiel Ceulers, Dieter Durinck, Vincent de Roder
Krasj 4, kunstbiënnale Ninove
Curated by Rik De Boe, Johan De Wilde & Reinhard Dubrawa
Abstract Connections, Cwart , Knokke
Elke Frijters, Johan Gelper, Kristof Van Gestel
Between a rock and a hard place, Barbé-Urbain Gallery, Ghent
2017
Vincent de Roder & Adriaan Verwee, D'apostof, Meigem
Le Nouvel Observateur, Hof ter Saksen, Haasdonk
Karel Breugelmans, Henk Delabie, Nikolaas Demoen, Hans Demeulenaere, Koba De Meutter, Gauthier Oushoorn, Roeland Tweelinckx, Dimitri Vangrunderbeek, John Van Oers, Dirk Zoete. Curator Paul Gees.
Tien Om Te Zien, Gevaertsdreef 01, Oudenaarde. Curated by Karel Thienpont
Yugen art#02, Ghent
Leyla Aydoslu, Marie Cloquet, Charlie De Voet, Johan De Wit, Adelheid De Witte, Jeroen Frateur, Johan Gelper, Manor Grunewald, Tine Guns, Tim Onderbeke, Matthieu Ronsse, W. Louis Rosa, Klaas Vanhee, Karel Thienpont en Joris Van de Moortel. Curated by Jan Hoet Junior.
2016
De Laatste Show, Voorkamer, Lier
Michael Ballou, Pierre Bastien, Jens Brand, Thomas Broadbent , Jesse cremers, Werner Cuvelier, Lieve D'Hondt, Johan De Wilde, Johan De Wit, Helmut Dick, Reinhard Doubrawa, Benoit Felix, Fredic Geurts, Marc Nagtzaam, Bas Schevens, Rinus Van De Velde, Hannelore Van Dijk, Patrick Vanden Eyde, Hans Verhaegen, Kris De Vleeschouwer, Peter Morrens
en Rik De Boe.
'een groep', Galerie de ziener, Asse
Raphael Buedts, Fia Cielen, Alexandra Crouwers, Vincent De Roder, Elke Van Kerckvoorde.
Artenova, Mechelen,
Leyla Aydoslu, Willem Boel, Dolores Bouckaert & Bernard Van Eeghem, Marlies DC, Bram Demunter, Tine Guns, Klaas Rommelaere, Matthieu Ronsse, Karel Thienpont, Karen Vermeiren. Curated by Melanie Deboutte.
2015
PASS, Mullem, Huise, Wannegem en Lede.
Curated by Kris Martin and Jan Hoet Junior
DIS-PLAY with Katrin Kamrau and Ives Maes Panache Towers Frankrijklei 73 2000 Antwerp.
Lens Na Spinoza Croxhapox, Ghent with dirk zoete, katrin kamrau, wim wauman.
Neighbours vol.2, Studio Manor Grunewald, Ghent
Eva Vermeiren, Baptiste Caccia
Enlightened Fountains, Jan Colle Gallery, Ghent
2013
Abstract On Paper, Chaplini Gallery, Köln
Florian Baudrexel, Ralf Dereich, Sebastian Freytag, Behrang Karimi, Henry Kleine, Colin Penno, Max Schulze, Thomas Wachholz,
Constructies, Emergent Galerie, Veurne
Atelier Pica Pica, Virginie Bailly, Marcel Berlanger, Rapha・ Buedts,Katinka Bock, Michiel Ceulers, Nikolaas Demoen, Kasper De Vos, Bart Lodewijks,,Honoré D’o, Isa Melsheimer, Mira Sanders, Dirk Zoete. Curated by Frank Maes.
Time Space Pokerface, Be-Part, Waregem
Nel Aerts, Peter Buggenhout, Adriano Costa, Laurent Dupont-Garitte, Willem Oorebeek, Alex Reynolds, Jani Ruscica, Joëlle Tuerlinckx,Joke Van den Heuvel. Curated by Sofie Van Loo
Brainbox II, Croxhapox, Ghent
Joris van de Moortel, Peter Morrens
One day show, Loods 12, Wetteren
Ik Wordt, (curator Johan De Wilde), Voorkamer, Lier
Le Routier I & II, Works to follow, Ghent
Michiel Ceulers, Damien De Lepeleire, Nikolaas Demoen, Dieter Durinck, Gerard Herman, Piet Mertens, Merlyn Paridaen, Frank Van Hiel, Weld, Jan Wyffels.
2012
Het Kunstwerk: een handleiding, Technicum Gent
Ruben Bellinkx, Maria Blondeel, Hedwig Bouckaert, Wouter Cox, Rein Dufait, Bart Stolle, Ignace Van Ingelom, Tamara Van San, Tinus Vermeersch. Curated by Guy Bovyn
2011
Change of Address, Galerie Tatjana Pieters, Ghent
Kunst & Zwalm, kunstbiënnale Zwalm region
David Blandy, Stephane Cauchy, Fia Cielen, Sylvain Cosijns,Goele De Bruyn, Nicolas Durand, Pieterjan Ginckels, Djos Janssens,Jo Lathwood,Patrick Merckaert, Karl Philips, Patrick Van Caeckenbergh, Arnaud Verley & Philemon. Curated by Paul Lagring.
In Tipa, Brakke Grond, Amsterdam
Samir Boudia, Ian Kesteleyn, Frank&Robbert, Philippe Tonnard, Sven Tassaert & Tuur Delodder
2010
Lightbox, Volta 6, Basel
CHIPKA, Netwerk, Aalst
Stijn Ank, Justin Bennett, Lode Geens, Susanne Kriemann, Matthew Miller, Noumenon & Pierre de Gelder, Rachel Reupke, Michael Van den Abeele & Arnaud Hendrickx, Yoann Van Parys, Tamara Van San, LE MUSEE MUNICIPAL: Adam Leech, Claire Stagier & Annelien Vermeir, Simona Denicolai & Ivo Provoost, Louis Paul Boon.
2009
Trigger, One Twenty Gallery, Ghent
Johan De Wilde, Frederic Geurts, Ariel Schlesinger, Julia Spinola. Curated by Sofie van Loo.
2007
Heterotopias, Public Screening Project, Thessaloniki Biennial
Curated by Syrago Tsiar
2006
Heilige Geest, Voorkamer, Lier
Michael Ballou, Karin Borghouts, Thomas Broadbent, Harald Busch, Wim Cyvers/Marc De Blieck, Johan De Wit, Helmut
Dick, Frederic Geurts,Han Hoogerbrugge, David Kramer, Jan Robert Leegte,Nora Ligorano/Marshall Reese,Guy Richards Smith, Herman Van Ingelgem,Hans Verhaegen, Karel Wouters,Voorkamer.
2005
In Mopula, Ghent
Evert Defrancq, Ives Maes , Merlyn Paridaen
Publications:
2020 Duets, Michel Mazzoni – Adriaan Verwée, V2Vingt
2014 Under a poor cloak you commonly find a good drinker, MER. Paper Kunsthalle
2013 “Le Routier”, Works To Follow (xerox ex.cat.)
Time Space Poker Face, text Sofie Van Loo, MER. Paper Kunsthalle (ex.cat.)
2012 Toca Da Raposa, text Sofie Van Loo, Posture Editions no.1
2011 Kunst & Zwalm, text Bénédicte Duverney (ex.cat.)
2010 Chipka, Netwerk, Aalst (ex.cat.)
2009 10+2 1/2 years Voorkamer, Voorkamer Lier (ex.cat.)
2007 Heterotopias/public screening project, text Syrago Tsiar, Biennial, Thessaloniki(ex.cat.)
2020 Staycation, Groupshow, Barbé Urbain Gallery, Gent, BE
2019 Pizzicato, No pop No up, curated by Jan Hoet Jr., Ghent 2017 Pitch-Buttock, Garage Neven, Ninove
2016 Handgeschöpft, Marion de Canniére Art Space, Antwerp
Come se niente fosse, Emergent Gallery, Veurne
2015 Towards the soul of the bottle, Mer Station 11, Netwerk, Aalst 2014 Adriaan Verwée, M – Museum, Leuven
2013 DAD, Loods 12, Wetteren
Solo Objects, Arco, Madrid
Early Works, Late Moment, Galerie Tatjana Pieters, Ghent
2012 Other People’s Trades, with Esmeralda Valencia Lindström, Arcade Gallery, London
Art Rotterdam, New Art Section, Galerie Tatjana Pieters, Rotterdam 2011 In TIPA, Drongen
Edition populaire, Antwerp
2010 On Alignment, Galerie Tatjana Pieters, Ghent
2007 BH/MC, Croxhapox, Ghent
2006 It Was In The News Today, One Twenty Gallery, Ghent 2005 The Final Speech, Croxhapox, Ghent
Group exhibitions:
2020
Michel Mazzoni & Adriaan Verwée, V2vingt, Brussels
2019
ZWRT, Barbé-Urbain Gallery, Ghent
2018
On Materiality, Dash, Kortrijk
Leyla Aydoslu, Rein Dufait, Johan De Wit, Elise Eeraerts, Valerian Goalec, Liesbeth Henderickx, Bernd Lohaus.
Da & Da, MLF gallery, Brussels
Nikolaas Demoen, Vincent de Roder, Stefaan Dheedene, Jonathan Michels
Curated by Luc Derycke
A one day show, Loods 12, Wetteren
Michiel Ceulers, Dieter Durinck, Vincent de Roder
Krasj 4, kunstbiënnale Ninove
Curated by Rik De Boe, Johan De Wilde & Reinhard Dubrawa
Abstract Connections, Cwart , Knokke
Elke Frijters, Johan Gelper, Kristof Van Gestel
Between a rock and a hard place, Barbé-Urbain Gallery, Ghent
2017
Vincent de Roder & Adriaan Verwee, D'apostof, Meigem
Le Nouvel Observateur, Hof ter Saksen, Haasdonk
Karel Breugelmans, Henk Delabie, Nikolaas Demoen, Hans Demeulenaere, Koba De Meutter, Gauthier Oushoorn, Roeland Tweelinckx, Dimitri Vangrunderbeek, John Van Oers, Dirk Zoete. Curator Paul Gees.
Tien Om Te Zien, Gevaertsdreef 01, Oudenaarde. Curated by Karel Thienpont
Yugen art#02, Ghent
Leyla Aydoslu, Marie Cloquet, Charlie De Voet, Johan De Wit, Adelheid De Witte, Jeroen Frateur, Johan Gelper, Manor Grunewald, Tine Guns, Tim Onderbeke, Matthieu Ronsse, W. Louis Rosa, Klaas Vanhee, Karel Thienpont en Joris Van de Moortel. Curated by Jan Hoet Junior.
2016
De Laatste Show, Voorkamer, Lier
Michael Ballou, Pierre Bastien, Jens Brand, Thomas Broadbent , Jesse cremers, Werner Cuvelier, Lieve D'Hondt, Johan De Wilde, Johan De Wit, Helmut Dick, Reinhard Doubrawa, Benoit Felix, Fredic Geurts, Marc Nagtzaam, Bas Schevens, Rinus Van De Velde, Hannelore Van Dijk, Patrick Vanden Eyde, Hans Verhaegen, Kris De Vleeschouwer, Peter Morrens
en Rik De Boe.
'een groep', Galerie de ziener, Asse
Raphael Buedts, Fia Cielen, Alexandra Crouwers, Vincent De Roder, Elke Van Kerckvoorde.
Artenova, Mechelen,
Leyla Aydoslu, Willem Boel, Dolores Bouckaert & Bernard Van Eeghem, Marlies DC, Bram Demunter, Tine Guns, Klaas Rommelaere, Matthieu Ronsse, Karel Thienpont, Karen Vermeiren. Curated by Melanie Deboutte.
2015
PASS, Mullem, Huise, Wannegem en Lede.
Curated by Kris Martin and Jan Hoet Junior
DIS-PLAY with Katrin Kamrau and Ives Maes Panache Towers Frankrijklei 73 2000 Antwerp.
Lens Na Spinoza Croxhapox, Ghent with dirk zoete, katrin kamrau, wim wauman.
Neighbours vol.2, Studio Manor Grunewald, Ghent
Eva Vermeiren, Baptiste Caccia
Enlightened Fountains, Jan Colle Gallery, Ghent
2013
Abstract On Paper, Chaplini Gallery, Köln
Florian Baudrexel, Ralf Dereich, Sebastian Freytag, Behrang Karimi, Henry Kleine, Colin Penno, Max Schulze, Thomas Wachholz,
Constructies, Emergent Galerie, Veurne
Atelier Pica Pica, Virginie Bailly, Marcel Berlanger, Rapha・ Buedts,Katinka Bock, Michiel Ceulers, Nikolaas Demoen, Kasper De Vos, Bart Lodewijks,,Honoré D’o, Isa Melsheimer, Mira Sanders, Dirk Zoete. Curated by Frank Maes.
Time Space Pokerface, Be-Part, Waregem
Nel Aerts, Peter Buggenhout, Adriano Costa, Laurent Dupont-Garitte, Willem Oorebeek, Alex Reynolds, Jani Ruscica, Joëlle Tuerlinckx,Joke Van den Heuvel. Curated by Sofie Van Loo
Brainbox II, Croxhapox, Ghent
Joris van de Moortel, Peter Morrens
One day show, Loods 12, Wetteren
Ik Wordt, (curator Johan De Wilde), Voorkamer, Lier
Le Routier I & II, Works to follow, Ghent
Michiel Ceulers, Damien De Lepeleire, Nikolaas Demoen, Dieter Durinck, Gerard Herman, Piet Mertens, Merlyn Paridaen, Frank Van Hiel, Weld, Jan Wyffels.
2012
Het Kunstwerk: een handleiding, Technicum Gent
Ruben Bellinkx, Maria Blondeel, Hedwig Bouckaert, Wouter Cox, Rein Dufait, Bart Stolle, Ignace Van Ingelom, Tamara Van San, Tinus Vermeersch. Curated by Guy Bovyn
2011
Change of Address, Galerie Tatjana Pieters, Ghent
Kunst & Zwalm, kunstbiënnale Zwalm region
David Blandy, Stephane Cauchy, Fia Cielen, Sylvain Cosijns,Goele De Bruyn, Nicolas Durand, Pieterjan Ginckels, Djos Janssens,Jo Lathwood,Patrick Merckaert, Karl Philips, Patrick Van Caeckenbergh, Arnaud Verley & Philemon. Curated by Paul Lagring.
In Tipa, Brakke Grond, Amsterdam
Samir Boudia, Ian Kesteleyn, Frank&Robbert, Philippe Tonnard, Sven Tassaert & Tuur Delodder
2010
Lightbox, Volta 6, Basel
CHIPKA, Netwerk, Aalst
Stijn Ank, Justin Bennett, Lode Geens, Susanne Kriemann, Matthew Miller, Noumenon & Pierre de Gelder, Rachel Reupke, Michael Van den Abeele & Arnaud Hendrickx, Yoann Van Parys, Tamara Van San, LE MUSEE MUNICIPAL: Adam Leech, Claire Stagier & Annelien Vermeir, Simona Denicolai & Ivo Provoost, Louis Paul Boon.
2009
Trigger, One Twenty Gallery, Ghent
Johan De Wilde, Frederic Geurts, Ariel Schlesinger, Julia Spinola. Curated by Sofie van Loo.
2007
Heterotopias, Public Screening Project, Thessaloniki Biennial
Curated by Syrago Tsiar
2006
Heilige Geest, Voorkamer, Lier
Michael Ballou, Karin Borghouts, Thomas Broadbent, Harald Busch, Wim Cyvers/Marc De Blieck, Johan De Wit, Helmut
Dick, Frederic Geurts,Han Hoogerbrugge, David Kramer, Jan Robert Leegte,Nora Ligorano/Marshall Reese,Guy Richards Smith, Herman Van Ingelgem,Hans Verhaegen, Karel Wouters,Voorkamer.
2005
In Mopula, Ghent
Evert Defrancq, Ives Maes , Merlyn Paridaen
Publications:
2020 Duets, Michel Mazzoni – Adriaan Verwée, V2Vingt
2014 Under a poor cloak you commonly find a good drinker, MER. Paper Kunsthalle
2013 “Le Routier”, Works To Follow (xerox ex.cat.)
Time Space Poker Face, text Sofie Van Loo, MER. Paper Kunsthalle (ex.cat.)
2012 Toca Da Raposa, text Sofie Van Loo, Posture Editions no.1
2011 Kunst & Zwalm, text Bénédicte Duverney (ex.cat.)
2010 Chipka, Netwerk, Aalst (ex.cat.)
2009 10+2 1/2 years Voorkamer, Voorkamer Lier (ex.cat.)
2007 Heterotopias/public screening project, text Syrago Tsiar, Biennial, Thessaloniki(ex.cat.)
Free Magazine Subscription
Articles, interviews, shows & events. Delivered to your mailbox weekly.