Hedwig Houben
09 Mar - 14 Apr 2012
HEDWIG HOUBEN
Personal matters and matters of fact
9 March - 14 April, 2012
How can one describe an image, justify the artistic process and make decisions along the way?
For her solo exhibition in Playstation Dutch artist Hedwig Houben brings together three separate works that each in their own way embark on an attempt to understand and to define. In her video work ‘Personal Matters and Matters of Fact’ Houben in five scenes lays bare sculptures’ doubts, insecurities, possibilities and capabilities. A Rietveld chair, a sculptural self portrait and the artist herself engage in a conversation, trying to make sense of each other, of why they are there and how all of them came to be. “I guess I made you because you were in my head for such a long time. It’s more of a feeling I guess” utters the artist slightly tense. The chair does not accept such a random intuitive description and demands a solid conceptual framework. The self-portrait on the other hand seems kind of happy with the undefined and celebrates the insecurities that are inevitably connected to it. With each scene the conversation deepens. Houben delicately unravels the creative process and search for meaning: the autonomy of the artwork, artistic presentation, authenticity and the real, slowly unfold in a confusing and at times ridiculous word game. In the repetition of the scenes Houben attempts again and again, however never reaching a satisfying conclusion.
Where ‘Personal Matters and Matters of Fact’ makes sculpture visible through a performative language, ‘Students’ Doubts’ plays on making doubt visible in the process of creation. Art students express their thoughts over a failed artwork, while molding a piece of plasticine. Their words however are muted and insecurities are transposed to the object right in front of them. Hands and fingers nervously molding and composing, without a clear purpose or shape in mind. The third work that completes this exhibition, ‘Art in its First State’ is a song performed in collaboration with the artist Bas Schevers. In an ongoing project love songs are transformed to art songs, transposing its typical language that moves between sentiment and existential questions to the artwork.
In these three works Houben maps out the artistic process, the different choices that underlie the artwork and brings them to consciousness through a sculptural performance. While acknowledging its impossibility the process itself is made tangible, drifting between conceptual language and intuitive choices.
[LC]
Hedwig Houben (1983, Boxtel, NL) studied at St Joost in Breda and recently graduated from HISK in Gent. Her work has been shown in a.o. Nest, The Hague (NL); Kunstverein Hannover (DE); La Salle de Bains, Lyon (FR); STUK, Leuven (BE); Witte de With, Rotterdam (NL); TENT, Rotterdam (NL); Noord Brabants Museum, Den Bosch (NL).
Personal matters and matters of fact
9 March - 14 April, 2012
How can one describe an image, justify the artistic process and make decisions along the way?
For her solo exhibition in Playstation Dutch artist Hedwig Houben brings together three separate works that each in their own way embark on an attempt to understand and to define. In her video work ‘Personal Matters and Matters of Fact’ Houben in five scenes lays bare sculptures’ doubts, insecurities, possibilities and capabilities. A Rietveld chair, a sculptural self portrait and the artist herself engage in a conversation, trying to make sense of each other, of why they are there and how all of them came to be. “I guess I made you because you were in my head for such a long time. It’s more of a feeling I guess” utters the artist slightly tense. The chair does not accept such a random intuitive description and demands a solid conceptual framework. The self-portrait on the other hand seems kind of happy with the undefined and celebrates the insecurities that are inevitably connected to it. With each scene the conversation deepens. Houben delicately unravels the creative process and search for meaning: the autonomy of the artwork, artistic presentation, authenticity and the real, slowly unfold in a confusing and at times ridiculous word game. In the repetition of the scenes Houben attempts again and again, however never reaching a satisfying conclusion.
Where ‘Personal Matters and Matters of Fact’ makes sculpture visible through a performative language, ‘Students’ Doubts’ plays on making doubt visible in the process of creation. Art students express their thoughts over a failed artwork, while molding a piece of plasticine. Their words however are muted and insecurities are transposed to the object right in front of them. Hands and fingers nervously molding and composing, without a clear purpose or shape in mind. The third work that completes this exhibition, ‘Art in its First State’ is a song performed in collaboration with the artist Bas Schevers. In an ongoing project love songs are transformed to art songs, transposing its typical language that moves between sentiment and existential questions to the artwork.
In these three works Houben maps out the artistic process, the different choices that underlie the artwork and brings them to consciousness through a sculptural performance. While acknowledging its impossibility the process itself is made tangible, drifting between conceptual language and intuitive choices.
[LC]
Hedwig Houben (1983, Boxtel, NL) studied at St Joost in Breda and recently graduated from HISK in Gent. Her work has been shown in a.o. Nest, The Hague (NL); Kunstverein Hannover (DE); La Salle de Bains, Lyon (FR); STUK, Leuven (BE); Witte de With, Rotterdam (NL); TENT, Rotterdam (NL); Noord Brabants Museum, Den Bosch (NL).