Artist Talk #1 - the works
Which artworks will be discussed in Artist Talk #1?
Some sculptures in COME CLOSER only reveal their full meaning through human interaction. This occurs with works by Roger Hiorns and Temitayo Ogunbiyi. Curators Heidi Ballet and Pieter Boons engage in a conversation with both artists, on 8 June 2024 in the Braem Pavilion. Here's an overview of the works they created for the exhibition.
Roger Hiorns
A Retrospective View of the Pathway (2024)
Two heavy industrial vessels emit a fun foamy bubble. Inviting you to feel, smell and play, just like a child. The ‘self-producing sculpture’ keeps reinventing itself. It even appears that no artist is involved. Unlike other sculptures, this work is unpredictable, it always looks different. How liberating! Or does it make you feel less comfortable?
Pathways (2024)
Pathways (2024) comprises a series of cold, machine objects that you would more likely expect in a factory or garage. Not in an art park. What are these strange objects doing here? During performances they reveal their true meaning. Then a naked young man interacts with the sculpture. In doing so, the work immerses us in the paradox between the active lust of the virile young performer and the sterile, artificial context in which he moves.
The installation was activated by different performers on 7 and 9 June, 6 and 7 July, 31 August and 1 September 2024.
Temitayo Ogunbiyi
You will make wishes for your neighbor (54 Days) (2024)
Casts of mill stones lay in the grass. Traditionally, these stones were used in Nigeria (the artist's homeland) to grind plants, beans and peppers. They have a ritual meaning too. During a performance, Temitayo Ogunbiyi invites you to touch the stones and in doing so make a wish for someone else. In this way, the work seeks a collective and intercultural future in which we can all participate.
The sculpture was activated on 8 June 2024.
You will find companionship in greener grounds (2024)
Temitayo Ogunbiyi aims to bring attention to less visible cultures in Antwerp. A large stainless steel 'line' represents the walking route between Antwerp and Lagos, where the artist resides. This route connects numerous communities. So does the herb garden, where Flemish crops grow alongside plants from other parts of the world. The smaller play structures are designed specifically for children, our future.
