O Sole Mio
Hans Aarsman, Maura Biava, Nico Bick, Henze Boekhoudt, Paul C. Bogaers, Elspeth Diederix, Diederick van der Donk, Will Holder, Jeroen Kooijmans, Sara Rossi, Maurice Scheltens, Martine Stig, Raimond WoudaAn eclipse of the sun on Wednesday 11 August 1999, threw most of Europe into temporary darkness. The total eclipse took place just a stone's throw from the Netherlands and was feted by the media as an event not to be missed. After all, the next total eclipse visible from the Netherlands won't be for another hundred years.
So from 10 August, people travelled en masse to locations offering the best views of the eclipse. Hotels were booked to overflowing and every tourist route was jammed. A truly international 'happening'. Despite the fact that eclipses can be rationally and scientifically explained as natural phenomenon, many are enthralled of their mystique.
O SOLE MIO is a project presenting the work of 13 photographers and artists, based on the day of the eclipse. The works depict personal views and experiences of this natural, yet remarkable phenomenon.
Henze Boekhout has created a camera with the appearance of a futuristic construction, and used this fabulous machine to capture the light during the eclipse through the minute holes in the camera. The resulting image is a sickle design, reminiscent of a trendy furnishing fabric. In La Paz (Bolivia), the sun that wages a tireless battle mercilessly blinded city dwellers.
Martine Stig shows the defence mechanisms people habitually carry about with them ñ second nature in the effort to protect themselves.
A creature with a huge head blocks the sun's rays. His stance and position are threatening, but set off by the reassuring Sunday evening jaunt of two passers-by and a scooter, patiently waiting for its driver. The ambivalence of the image, by Elspeth Diederix, attains an almost ritual significance, which is also reflected in the work of Diederik van der Donk, Paul C. Bogaers and Sara Rossi.
Bogaers has transformed public places, where brick, paving tiles and drains dominate, into fantastic souvenirs of the big city. Visitors can take a well-earned rest in Jeroen Kooijmans' living room (a rest for the eye at least, your other senses will be put to the test). The work created for this exhibition has resulted in a publication that will be presented to a mystery guest from the meteorological world. The booklet, designed by Will Holder, will be on sale in W139 at NLG 19.95.
Made possible by
Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunst