Stijn Ank
23 Jun - 28 Oct 2012
STIJN ANK
Interval
23 June - 28 October 2012
The sculptures of Stijn Ank (°1977, Aalst) arise out of extensive research into the relationship between matter and void. Ank analysed the Kunst Nu room at S.M.A.K. by way of various diagonals and encountered an in-between space, an interval he made sculpturally visible using pigmented plaster. The work produced by this process is both fragile and robust, delicate and solid, light as a feather and heavy as lead.
S.M.A.K. is presenting INTERVAL, the first exhibition of Ank’s work in a museum. The artist was asked to develop a site-specific work that enters into direct dialogue with the Kunst Nu room. This room, often considered as one of the museum’s residual spaces, is perfectly related to the research Ank carries out in his artistic practice.
Ank makes traces of emptiness visible by setting it in contrast with matter. He always takes the same approach. Using a variety of materials such as wood, aluminium, lead and rubber he marks off the boundaries of a void. He then casts these ‘moulds’ in plaster. In this way, working layer by layer, he makes the space and the void in the space visible. The characteristic colours of these sculptures follow this process of casting in layers. In preparation for casting, Ank mixes pure pigments with the liquid plaster. In this way he has no control over the ultimate appearance of the void that he is trying to make visible with his sculpture.
Interval
23 June - 28 October 2012
The sculptures of Stijn Ank (°1977, Aalst) arise out of extensive research into the relationship between matter and void. Ank analysed the Kunst Nu room at S.M.A.K. by way of various diagonals and encountered an in-between space, an interval he made sculpturally visible using pigmented plaster. The work produced by this process is both fragile and robust, delicate and solid, light as a feather and heavy as lead.
S.M.A.K. is presenting INTERVAL, the first exhibition of Ank’s work in a museum. The artist was asked to develop a site-specific work that enters into direct dialogue with the Kunst Nu room. This room, often considered as one of the museum’s residual spaces, is perfectly related to the research Ank carries out in his artistic practice.
Ank makes traces of emptiness visible by setting it in contrast with matter. He always takes the same approach. Using a variety of materials such as wood, aluminium, lead and rubber he marks off the boundaries of a void. He then casts these ‘moulds’ in plaster. In this way, working layer by layer, he makes the space and the void in the space visible. The characteristic colours of these sculptures follow this process of casting in layers. In preparation for casting, Ank mixes pure pigments with the liquid plaster. In this way he has no control over the ultimate appearance of the void that he is trying to make visible with his sculpture.