Art Düsseldorf
Booth B.02
Joint booth with Artemis Gallery Lisbon
11.04. – 14.04.2024
Web: https://www.art-dus.de
Location: Areal Bohler, Böhlerstraße 1, 40667 Meerbusch, Germany
Opening hours:
Thursday April 11: Preview 12 am – 4pm / Official opening: 4 pm – 8 pm
Friday April 12: 12 am – 7 pm
Saturday April 13: 11 am – 7 pm
Sunday April 14: 11 am – 6 pm
DAAN COUZIJN (°1994, NL)
The series ‘Thinking Of Holland’ is a re-interpretation of the famous 17-18th century landscape paintings, created by an AI and machine learning which he programmed himself. Afterwards the results are painted by a forger/copyist specialised in recreating (fake) historical landscapes. The Dutch land- and seascapes, at the time, ironically were universal examples of pure and natural beauty. By using Critically machine learning techniques, Couzijn aims to place the 17th- and 18th-century land-and seascape genre of painting in a contemporary context. The depictions of dramatic skies above wild, Dutch meadows and seas in 17th- and 18th-century landscape paintings are arguably anything but natural. In reality, the polder landscape is a product of artificiality which has been famously romanticised by the many masters that painted them.
The wooden - ‘Untitled’ - sculptures are the result of different digital techniques based on traditional Dutch and Flemish craftsmanship and classical - often religious - iconography. By using elements that allude to the palpable absence of a divine entity, Couzijn retains the ornamental beauty and symbolism of traditional religious art, without depicting it directly. Simultaneously, the work engages with philosophical themes about the ever-increasing ubiquity of the developments in computer science and how advanced computer technologies may breathe new life into our relationship with the unknown. With these works, Couzijn considers the ways in which computer technologies could shape our spiritual and cultural practices, by recontextualizing religious and mythological symbols with contemporary methods.
VICTOR VERHELST (°1997, BE)
Lives and works in Belgium
For a long time, Verhelst’s digital landscapes manifested themselves mostly in printed form. However, in his new works, specially created for Art Düsseldorf, he is returning to his original passion for tapestry, using a special carpet binding to breathe new life into his landscapes, but in a different form. The color palettes he utilised are a bold blend of serenity and vibrancy. Although the themes are distinct, their presentation on a frame makes them like true gateways to various territories within the universe of ‘TRIPPY VEGAS‘. Verhelst tries to weave this universe and his distinctive style into different media, ranging from his autonomous works to large-scale integration projects and even the music scene.
‘TRIPPY VEGAS‘ constitutes the concept of the digital city in which we all come together.