Pressrelease HMK {Hotel Mariakapel} Hoorn, 1 februari 2010
HMK presents: “Mining”
Willem Besselink (NL), Florencia Levy (ARG), Paul Matosic (UK), Ben Roosevelt (USA).
As we are getting to know our surroundings better and better, we're starting to discover some extraordinary things, which do influence the design of our program. But for once, we'd like the immediate environment itself to become the main subject of a show.
In 'Mining', four national and international artists will map out (the surroundings of) HMK. Their approaches differ as some incorporate very indirect or poetic methods while others use very literal and direct ones. The similarities in their approach lies in the way they view their environment: all participating artists view it as a goldmine. The area around HMK becomes a mine, in which many commodities can be found.
Ben Roosevelt is planning to explore the history of HMK and Hoorn, and collect this information in a publication for artists and visitors of HMK and Hoorn. Florencia Levy is more interested in meeting the locals of Hoorn, and in discovering more about the social structures and cultural history of the area. The artists will not only meet and influence eachother, but will also be very open to influences from the immediate surroundings of Hotel Mariakapel. Because they are willing to look beyond the walls of the gallery, the artworks they'll produce will be embedded in the immediate geographical and social environment of HMK.
'Mining' consists of three separate proposals, that were combined in a group-project by curators Jantine Wijnja and Daniël Dennis de Wit. Apart from the beforementioned Roosevelt and Levy, Wijnja and De Wit also selected Paul Matosic (UK) and they invited a fourth Dutch artist, Willem Besselink, whose work they considered to be thematically very close to the ideas explored in 'Mining'.
The opening of the show 'Mining' will take place on Sunday 7 March, at 4 PM.
About the participating artists:
In the work of Willem Besselink, laws of nature, rules or facts are often used as a starting point. By applying his own (visual) systems to this information, Besselink creates a personal, yet controlled reality. In HMK he will document and translate the existing structures that characterize HMK and Hoorn.
Florencia Levy is fascinated by routines and habits of people. In her work, she often adopts the role of a foreigner, or she participates in other peoples daily rituals. In her work, she shows these extraordinary processes, that might be very considered very common by others.
Paul Matosic is concerned with the meaning of objects, and the way they are used in the interaction of people with their immediate environment. His work often consists of collections of these objects. During his stay at HMK, Matosic will explore and collect several typical objects, either useful or redundant.
Ben Roosevelt's work stems from his interest in social structures and cultural conventions. Because these are often locally determined, he maps these structures every time he's in a new (working)environment. In his work, Roosevelt uses visual codes and graphic symbolism to expose existing structures. In HMK, he is planning to research the history and organization of HMK as an artsinitiative in Hoorn.
'Mining' is supported by the Mondriaan Foundation and the municipality of Hoorn.