Galerie Ramakers is pleased to present a duo exhibition featuring recent works by 2 Belgian artists who have been represented by the gallery for some time now.
The work of D.D. Trans (Frank Tuytschaever, 1963) is minimalist and humorous; with limited means or interventions, he skillfully establishes connections and consistently manages to evoke a smile.
Everyday household materials are lifted from their usual context by D.D. Trans. Despite the minimal appearance of his interventions, the impact is significant. A moment of short-circuiting points out the ingenious yet entrenched design of everyday objects. Items that we tend to take for granted reveal themselves in a different, unexpected light in the work of D.D. Trans. Through a playful approach, he sharpens our perception of the immediate environment.
In the work of Johan de Wit (Gent, 1960), form and color play a central role in his diverse body of work. Primarily consisting of sculptures, videos, and painterly objects, his artworks evoke various associations, ranging from childhood memories to feelings of insignificance and melancholy. In a mood of poetic silence, De Wit combines his love for aesthetic objects with everyday life, from a jar, a table, and a ladder to more abstract objects, sometimes even with religious or archaeological connotations, like a disk or triptych.
De Wit draws inspiration from the paintings of the Flemish Primitives and the Flemish and Dutch masters of the Golden Age, while also showing clear echoes of artists like Giorgio Morandi. Just as in the still lifes and landscapes of the old masters, De Wit recognizes the restless voids and stylized elements that he seeks in his own work. This pursuit is evident in his exploration of materiality, textures, and color. Everything in De Wit's work seems to be in constant motion, much like life itself.
For his most recent series of objects, De Wit uses a paper model as a base, which is reinforced with resin and marble powder on both the inside and outside. While drying, De Wit manipulates the model to create folds and dents. Subsequently, he applies paint in various shades to the surface, before finally sanding it back down. This process results in concealing and revealing the dents and folds of the three-dimensional form. The light captured and reflected highlights the rich layers of the surface.