[TANK EXHIBITION] Interview with Berlinde De Bruyckere

Convex/Concave: Belgian Contemporary Art
Curated by Dirk Snauwaert and Charlotte Friling
October 31st, 2019 - January 12th, 2020

Convex or concave directions – in perception, perspectives and reflections – have come to symbolize the multiple exchanges and interrelations of subjectivity. These reflections, stand-ins for the dualism in subjectivity, symbolize the opposing tendencies of an inner self vis-à-vis an outer world – of a gaze turned inwards in contemplation – and of an extrovert and engaging gaze turned outwards. This dualism, defining of the very conception of subjectivity or identity and of the self, is the lens through which this gathering of contemporary Belgian artists has been organized, since that dualism captures a general characteristic, not only of modernity, but also of the artistic endeavors, and singularity, of Belgian artists. In addition, the choice for this organizing principle finds echoes in the ways in which Chinese artists and intellectuals have tackled modes of representation and dominant paradigms and, in so doing, have transformed the convex-concave dialectics into playful or meditative attitudes to self-awareness.

About the Artist:

Berlinde De Bruyckere (b. 1964 in Belgium, where she lives and works) mainly works with casts — made from wax, animal skins, hair, textiles, metal and wood — that she moulds into haunting distortions of organic forms which explore new ideas of metamorphosis. The vulnerability and fragility of the self, the suffering body — whether human or animal — and the overwhelming power of nature are some of the core motifs of De Bruyckere’s oeuvre.

Drawing from the legacies of Europe’s Old Masters, Christian iconography, mythology and culture lore, De Bruyckere layers existing histories with new narratives suggested by current events in order to create a psychological terrain of pathos, tenderness and unease. The dualities of danger and protection, love and destruction, and the human need for understanding are some universal themes that De Bruyckere explores in her practice.

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Exhibition Page: http://www.tankshanghai.com/en/exhibi...