As the third solo exhibition at Valerie Traan Gallery, Wandering features a collection of both realized works and in situ installations. While the realized works are displayed through scale models, this exhibition uniquely includes their representation in large-format photographs as well.

In each instance, the scale models represent the project in an abstract rendition, highlighting the primary formal and material features of the work. Their abstraction allows them stand independently as individual artworks. The photographs complement these small sculptural objects by providing spatial views of the realized projects. For instance, the Six Vaults pavilion is presented in the gallery with both a small plaster scale model and a photograph that offers a glimpse of the larger-scale spatial experience it provides.

The installations created within the gallery are based on the fundamental operations that are present throughout the projects. Each of these installations alter the visitor’s perception of the gallery’s space and sequence. For instance, one of the areas was closed off with a metal fence. The space remains entirely visible but is no longer physically accessible. This simple yet radical boundary creates a striking contrast with the typically public nature of the gallery and exhibitions in general. In the central space, Curtain Wall features a large piece of felt suspended within the space, creating the illusion of thick curtains. The deep folds entice visitors to venture inside, even though the densily packed textile may give the impression of being impenetrable.

Finally, the exhibition also includes a number of Bas Reliefs. Some are formally connected to the Colonnade pavilion, such as Bas Relief II (Colonnade), while others stand alone, like Bas Relief I (Chaos). These works serve as explorations of materiality and texture, drawing connections to elements like the inaccessible appearance of the forest of columns in Colonnade.

Without a preconceived itinerary, visitors wander freely among the artworks in the gallery. The projects establish connections with one another through their proximity or, more loosely, through the visitor's arbitrary route.

DATE
2022

LOCATION
Gallery Valerie Traan, Antwerp (BE)