FUTURE PRESENT CONTINUOUS
Nel Bonte, Johan Gelper, Ted Green, Franky Michielsen, Ken'ichiro Taniguchi, Monique Thomaes
Eva Steynen Gallery presents 'Future present continuous'. This group exhibition has a multidisciplinary approach and
presents work by six Belgian and international artists who are collaborating with the gallery for the frst time. A mix of artists
from different generations, each with their own view of expressing thoughts and feelings through painting, sculpture, neonobjects
and photography. Refecting over the presents of time, as a moment, a continuum or non-chronological fragments.
Time continuing over a specifc period, happening now and connecting, immediate and continuous. A warm momentum.
NEL BONTE
The sculptural work of Nel Bonte has a strong visual narrative. The works are minimal in line and playful at the same time.
By putting works with different textures and vocabulary together in a scenography, she creates new connections referring to
elements out of our everyday live. The basis of the works are 'objects trouvés' and structures of architecture that inspire
her.
In Bonte's work refers to everyday elements and architecture.The interpretation and reconstruction of existing models form
the basis of her work. A water tower, a toy or a dispenser, sculptures sometimes strongly resemble scale models or
prototypes making the interaction with the audience. And there is always a gentle humor around the corner.
Nel Bonte (°1986, B, works and lives in Antwerp) holds a master visual arts (KASK Antwerp) she exhibits since 2010 mainly
in Belgium. Recent exhibitions are ‘Kamers van Zé’, Antwerp, ‘Oreilles géometrique’, Berlare, ‘De Biennale van ideeën’
curated by Hans Martens, Menen; ‘Beestig’, crated by Jan Moeyaert, Damme; ‘Alle rechte lijnen zijn gebogen’, CC De
Ververij, curated by Jan Leconte, Ronse (B); ‘Composte', curated by Els Wuyts, Herzele.
JOHAN GELPER
The sculptures of Johan Gelper are often described as 'spacial drawings'. The lines are sharp, the colors bright. They refer to
a colorful minimalism of the 20th century. The open sculptures elevate the everyday object into poetical and energetic
transformations. Industrial made objects are integrated with realms of an artifcial nature.
A metal foot makes a subtle bend with a twist. or a dance in the air. An umbrella becomes a fower. The work of Johan
Gelper always turns a smile on your face.
Johan Gelper (°1980, B, lives and works in Ghent) graduated with distinction in Painting at LUCA School of Arts, Ghent and
Mixed Media, postgraduate in audiovisual and visual art at Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Ghent. Prize Young Artists 2007 &
2008 (S.M.A.K. Ghent) and had numerous exhibitions in Belgium and abroad. His work was recently on view in Zürich, CH;
CC De Ververij, Ronse; Zweefkracht en zwaartevlucht, Curator: Edith Ronse, Hof ter Saksen, Beveren; Ladekastproject,
PHOEBUS, Rotterdam; Ballroom project 2 with DMW Art Space, Antwerp;har. art gallery, Rotterdam; D'Apostrof, Meigem.
TED GREEN
Ted Green’s paintings are based on the idea of musical rhythms, basically combining different sets of repeating acoustic
signals to create a piece of music. He works with color and line, and not with sound, but the core concept is the same:
interweaving sets of repeating visual elements. The works develop in a very organic manner - one mark at a time, or rather,
one set of repeated marks at a time. Much of his studio practice is analytical planning, measuring and alter stencils. And then
the application of paint onto the surface can be gestural and inexact.
Ted Green (°1963, California, USA. Lives and works in Düsseldorf, D) studied art at the University of California and holds
Master in painting, Prof. Markus Lüpertz, Kunstakademie Düsseldorf (D), recent exhibitions Coelner Zimmer, Düsseldorf (D)
Mogoșoaia Palace, Mogoșoaia (RO); Galerie Ostendorff, Münster (D), Galerie Andreas Binder, München (D) Space-O;
Düsseldorf (D)
FRANKY MICHIELSEN
The particular paintings by Franky Michielsen (°1965, lives and works in Antwerp) are phantom-like landscapes, based on
found images he reintegrates, transformers and combines. Through the process of transforming he reduces the landscapes
until their essence. With this material he starts painting. We see estranged landscapes in which geometrical fgures are
placed as fragments out of a story or a dream, triggering the imagination of the spectator.
Franky Michielsen (°1965, lives and works in Antwerp) exhibits since 2005. His work was on view at Dagmar De Pooter
Gallery and 'Phading', Museum Elsene, curated by Sven Vanderstichelen. Recent exhibitions are a.o. collectie Das Dingenen
Duffel, Zichten, Kemmel curated by Christophe Dehaene; CC Zwaneberg, Heist-op-den-Berg, 'Beestig' stadsfestival Damme,
curator Jan Moeyaert; gallery Morbee, Knokke.
KEN'ICHIRO TANIGUCHI
The rather unusual sculptures by Ken'ichiro Taniguchi are for the frst time on view in Belgium. The basis are found cracks in
in the urban space, transformed through a lot of craftsmanship into 3-dimensional layers in hard PVC which can be folded
and unfolded.
Taniguchi's works are so-called 'Hecomi': cracks and fssures or broken off and damaged areas, created by natural forces, on
man-made surfaces such as roads or walls. By looking only at their shape one can see that even hecomi, which have a bad
image of being old and dirty, have various attractive characteristics such as surprising novelty, heartwarming charm and
overwhelming power.
The 'Belgian series' are made at the occasion of this exhibition and based on 'The Hecomi fttings', which is the act of laying
a shiny yellow piece of PVC with an inorganic texture right into the crack, represents the attempt to change its negative
being to something light, pop, and positive. Starting by tracing the crack with pen on transparent foil, to create the
sculpture’s basic template. This template is applied to yellow PVC and cut out by hand carefully. The resulting form is then
cut down again into smaller parts and eventually re-assembled with the help of hinges. The crack's positive double can
literally be folded and unfolded into different variations.
Scan QR code : Explanation movie of 'Hecomi ftting, the Belgian series' in Berlin.
Ken'ichiro Taniguchi (°1976, Sapporo, JP, lives and works in Berlin and Sapporo) studied Fine arts at the university of
Hokkaido, Japan. He exhibits his work since 2001 in Germany, The Netherlands, Spain and Japan. Recent his work was on
view at a.o. Higashikawa Arts Exchange Center, Hokkaido, Japan; J.R. Artbox, Sapporo, Japan; Sebastian Fath Contemporary,
Mannheim, (D); Phoebus Rotterdam, the (NL); Mikiko Sato Gallery temporary, Hamburg,(D); The House of Paper Museum,
Berlin, (D); Daejeon Art and Science Biennale (KR); N2 galeria, Barcelona, (ES); Japan museum Siebold Huis, Leiden (NL).
His work is held in several important collections a.t.a. Foundation Maeght (FR), DKV Foundation, (ES), Museum Rotterdam.
MONIQUE THOMAES
Monique Thomaes works with light as a visual material. In this exhibition she showcases two aspects representing her
oeuvre. The capturing of the light in the Belgium Pavilion in Venice was shown as a video installation at the INBOX in the M
HKA, the museum of contemporary Art in Antwerp.
Everything started for Thomaes in Berlin in late 1980's, where she was living, and was inspired by the glass protection of the
paintings in a museum, refecting the surrounding space. Since more than four decades Thomaes' research consist of how to
make light visible in our surrounding space and how to present this three-dimensional perception.
During the ten years Monique Thomaes (°1942, lives and works in Antwerp) was living in Berlin she installed different
interventions. Recently she presented a video installation in Fort 5, Edegem, curated by Marc Ruyters. Other recent
exhibitions in Belgium are Pavilion, Muhka, Antwerp, Museum De Mindere, Sint-Truiden, Licht Museum Roeselare, De
Mijlpaal, Knokke.