(for Dutch please see previous post below)
FACES
Exhibition focuses on the other ‘face’ of Curaçao and Beijing
‘Looking at the other ‘face’’. Seeing images that usually remain hidden. This is the theme of the exhibition FACES. This group exhibition connects various disciplines: photography, art, video and dance. FACES is divided in two parts: ‘Faces of Curaçao’ and the less prominent ‘Faces of Beijing’. Three young, highly esteemed artists take part in this exhibition: Faranú (Talent of the Year 2012), director / choreographer Gabri Christa (named one of the 100 most promising upcoming film makers of the world in 2008) and Mike Redman (award winning multidisciplinary artist). FACES will be opened at 16:00 hrs on Saturday the 21st of April. Hans Walgenbach, managing director of Museum Rotterdam will open the exhibition. Jazz and soul singer Shirma Rouse will perform. The exhibition can be visited until the 29th of April at the WTC Art Gallery in Rotterdam.
‘Faces of Curaçao’
Sunny beaches and a clear blue sea is the image most people get when they think about the Caribbean island of Curaçao. Many people consider this place an ideal holiday destination. FACES uncovers a more raw, artistic side of the island. ‘Faces of Curaçao’ invites you to look at the other ‘face’ of Curaçao. Or rather: look at previously hidden faces. Actual faces.
To see something when there is nothing requires a different way of looking at it: you have to really allow your eyes some time. You will get to a new layer of observation when you focus on something that you would normally just pass by. Hidden images will rise to the surface. Just think about a deck of clouds: usually people don’t really pay attention to this. But if you really focus, you can see many shapes that are more than just ‘a cloud’. The beach of Curaçao gave Mike Redman a similar experience. This was the beginning of the exhibition ‘Faces of Curaçao’.
On one of the beaches of Curaçao, Mike was admiring the view, when suddenly he felt like he was the one being looked at. But it wasn’t a person that was staring at him; it was a piece of coral, washed up on the shore, that clearly had the shape of a skull. From this moment on Mike walked the beach with a different outlook; he suddenly came across more and more faces. This resulted in an interesting series of photos. It is important to know that the compositions are not arranged or edited; the faces that are visible, are exactly as Mike found them. He took their picture like that.
When Faranú saw Mike’s photos, she drew charcoal images based upon them. When you look at those drawings, unexpected images will arise, that in their turn remind viewers of eroded stones and beaches. The creation of the drawings and Faranú’s style of working was filmed by Mike. This resulted in a short film that clearly and beautifully shows an extra dimension of looking at things.
Gabri Christa brings an important addition to Mike Redman’s and Faranú’s work. The artist, who lives in New York, invites viewers to look at even more faces from Curaçao. In her short film ‘Quarantine’, an old man looks at the image he has of his young self. The film is situated in a decayed quarantine building, dating from the slavery period. The young man dances an impressive choreography to modern music. The film has been showed in art galleries and at various film festivals all over the world.
‘Faces of Beijing’
The entrance hall of the WTC Art Gallery holds a smaller exhibition. This is an impression of Faranú’s visit to Beijing, China. The sculptures that Faranú created during that visit are exhibited: mythitical faces that appear to escape from decayed pieces of a stone wall.
Just like ‘Faces of Curaçao’, ‘Faces of Beijing’ is based on the idea “seeing something that isn’t there…or is it”. Faranú came up with the idea of creating a stone face, modeled on her own face. From this, mythical creatures emerged, that are placed in pieces of a wall. These sculptures were exhibited near the most famous wall in the world; the Great Wall of China. This visit to Beijing also resulted in a short film, that will be shown at ‘Faces of Beijing’.
Title of the exhibition:
FACES
Disciplines:
Photography, art, video and dance cross over
Participating artists:
Faranú (charcoal drawings, sculptures) NL
Gabri Christa (video, dance) US
Mike Redman (photography, video) NL
Opening and location:
FACES will be opened at 16:00 hrs on the 21st of April 2012. Hans Walgenbach, managing director of Museum Rotterdam will open the exhibition. Music by Shirma Rouse. The opening will be finished at 19:00 hrs.
FACES can be viewed from the 21st until the 29th of April 2012.
WTC Art Gallery, Beursplein 37, 3011 AA Rotterdam, The Netherlands. T: 010-4051781
(there is also an entrance at de Meent 132)
The gallery is opened Fridays to Sundays from 12:30 to 17:30 hrs and upon appointment.
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