ARTIFICIAL NATURE

23.05.2009 - 15.11.2009.
curators: Geert Verbeke, Simon Delobel

  Catalog Artificial Nature (summer exhibition 2009)
  Press release Artificial Nature
  Artificial Nature is part of Front-Front Art


The exhibition Artificial Nature brings works of art together by artists who interrogate the relation between human nature and its natural environment. This show focus on one of the most important principles of the Verbeke Foundation: creation of an area in which art and nature do gather.

Artificial Nature shows works by 30 artists(groups) who scan the limits of contemporary art by experimental use of living organism in their creation process. In a 'field of tension' between nature and culture the works of art elicit a lot of questions. What is natural and when is it artificial? How arise, evolve and decay living organism? How do we experience nature sensorial and intellectual? Is it still necessary to make a difference between natural or artificial beauty?

Different art projects with living organisms (like bees, fish, birds, algae and flies) which are shown at the Verbeke Foundation, were developed in cooperation with among others the University of Gent, Royal University of Leuven and the University of Hasselt. Also with support of the Laboratory of Molecular Genetics (University of Gent) by Prof. Paul Coucke a special laboratory was being established so research can be done for the artists with new media: the Labora(r)tory.

The exhibition Artificial Nature is the first large 'bioart'-project in Belgium. The Verbeke Foundation finds it very important that visitors are being attended and well informed. With support of the Antwerp Zoo and the Zoological Museum of the University of of Gent a pedagogical space is being developed to interpret the changing historical view from art at nature. Within the exhibition Artificial Nature a historical view from art at nature. Within the exhibition Artificial Nature a historical natural curiosities (stuffed animals, dried plants, shells…) were for that matter together with artifacts and historical objects stored in so-called curiosity cabinets. No curiosities this summer at the Verbeke Foundation, but a exciting dialectic between art and nature which often leads to wonderful pieces of art.

Artists:
Art Orienté objet (F), Sjoerd Buisman (NL), Geoffrey de Beer (B), Peter De Cupere (B), Marta de Menezes (P), Frederik De Wilde (B), Bart de Zutter (B), Griet Dobbels (B), Jef Faes (B), Idiots (NL), Theo Jansen (NL), Wout Janssens (B), Reinier Lagendijk (NL), Sjef Meijman (NL), Zjos Meyvis (B), Desmond Morris (UK), NCNP (Ni Christi, Ni Politici) (B), Zbigniew Oksiuta (PL), Raphaël Opstaele (B), Ingo Botho Reize (D), Joris Ribbens (B), Tineke Schuurmans (NL), Lieven Standaert (B), STARTEL (NL), Martin uit den Bogaard (NL), René Van Corven (NL), Ronald van der Meijs (NL), Philippe Vandenberg (B), Maarten vanden Eynde (B), Koen Vanmechelen (B), Jan Verpooten (B), Vadim Vosters (B), Stan Wannet (NL), Evelyne Wood (CH).

Articles about the exhibition:

  De Standaard, 24.07.2009, p.27
  ISEL, July-August 2009, p.28-33
  KL[s] Kunstletters[s], June 2009, p.9

Uitnodiging Artificial Nature

Labora(r)torium

Jef Faes, 9-Keto-Trans-2, 2009