19 may 2023, Flor Linckens
Nature, folklore, identity and extreme sports: diverse art during Ballroom Project
From 18 to 21 May 2023, the fifth edition of Ballroom Project will take place. It runs parallel to Antwerp Art Weekend, for which various cultural institutions in the city are joining forces. Ballroom Project is an exciting alternative to the more traditional art fair. The twenty-five participating galleries will not present their work in a classic white-walled booth, but are instead invited to submit several works, which are then presented by a curator in a way that is befitting this unique location: the elegant former Justice Palace of Borgerhout in Antwerp. In this article, we highlight four notable artists who will be presenting work at Ballroom Project.
The renowned Dutch artist herman de vries prefers to use only lowercase letters in the spelling of his name, because he resists hierarchy. It's signifies the way of thinking of this versatile artist, who won several prizes and represented the Netherlands at the Venice Biennale in 2015. Although his earlier work focused on the use of found materials and monochrome paintings in white and gray tones — he was involved with the Nul Group — he is perhaps most famous for his nature-centered works. de vries was trained as a botanist and researcher, which is reflected in his practice. Plants and earth form his materials and thematically, his work is also about our complicated and disturbed relationship with nature. Art, philosophy, science, classification and the sensory experience come together in a practice that is inspired, among other things, by the artist's many travels during his lifetime and his extensive archive of more than 7000 soil samples that de vries has been collecting since the 1970s. To this end, the artist works in a variety of media, including collage, sculpture, performance, painting and photography. His work is part of the collections of the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, the MoMA, the V&A Museum, the Van Abbemuseum, the Kröller-Müller Museum, Musée national d'art contemporain in Paris and Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, among others. The artist is currently 91 years old.
Represented by Bradwolff & Partners
Ignace Cami, Koek voor Ninove, 2020, DMW Gallery
The multidisciplinary practice of the Antwerp-based artist Ignace Cami focuses on topics such as folklore, tradition, (collective) memory, identity, fantasy, symbolism and the ways in which we tell stories. By focusing on the role of cultural heritage and issues surrounding Flemish identity, he can simultaneously ask questions about contemporary society. Many of his works strive to stimulate a certain social interaction. He always leaves room for the visitor's interpretation. In an interview with Mister Motley, he said: “Ultimately, the responsibility lies with the viewer, to get out of it what works for them. And that is not always, I think more often than not, what the maker had in mind. I think that's really nice. That transformation that takes place in the middle, between two people, between a maker and an audience. There is an inherent failure in that, and I love that.” Cami was trained as a graphic artist and sculptor and in 2020-2021, he was active as a researcher at the Jan van Eyck Academy in Maastricht. His work has been exhibited in, among others, the M HKA, FotoMuseum Antwerp, the KRASJ 5: Biennale Actuele Kunst and the library of Sint Lucas in Antwerp.
Harry Hachmeister, Forever together, 2021, ASPN Galerie
The interdisciplinary oeuvre of the German artist Harry Hachmeister covers everything from photography and drawing to painting and ceramics. Thematically, his work deals with themes such as transformation, (gender) identity, the body and the physical attributions associated with it. In an interview with Tique Art magazine, he speaks about his practice: ”I’m mainly interested in bodies and identities. I think a lot about the difference between the outside and the inside and how we perceive each other. In my work, I try to find a playful way to deal with it.” Hachmeister holds a master's degree from the Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst in Leipzig and his work has been shown at Bundeskunsthalle Bonn, Museum der bildenden Künste Leipzig, Museum Folkwang, Schwules Museum Berlin, gfzk Galerie für Zeitgenössische Kunst Leipzig and G2 Kunsthalle Leipzig, among others. The artist is currently completing a residency at Sundaymorning@ekwc (the European Ceramic Workcentre), where artists can deepen their ceramics practice. Previously, he completed residencies at Gastatelier Gleis 70 in Zurich, the Deutsche Akademie in Rome and the BS Project Residency of Braunschweig University of Art, in addition to grants from Stiftung Kunstfonds Bonn and the Pollock-Krasner-Foundation New York.
Ben Edmunds, Blistering rays of hope, 2023, TATJANA PIETERS
The multidisciplinary British artist Ben Edmunds works in various media, including sculpture, photography and even wearables, but he is best is known for his sizable paintings. In these paintings, Edmunds combines abstraction with stylised, visual elements from the world of extreme (adventure) sports, a reflection of his own background as a windsurfer, sailor and cyclist. In doing so, he effectively compares the meditative and transcendental aspects of both: the deep and near religious enjoyment of abstract art that painters like Rothko proposed and, for instance, both the accomplishment and escapism of scaling a mountain. Additionally, it can function as a way of finding a sense of meaning in popular wellness and personal training trends on social media. For his practice, the artist is inspired by both high and low art. Edmunds currently lives and works in London and completed an education in Painting at the Royal College of Art and the Wimbledon College of Art.
