Back to3 Grids 0˚, -45˚, -20˚
This work is specially made for the exhibition SYMPOSION, een halve eeuw inspiratie at Museum Gorcum.
I received the invitation to make a work connected to one of the artists that was part of the previous Symposion 50 years ago. In my case I was linked to the artist Francois Morellet.
The starting point for my work for the Gorcums Museum is the application of Morellet’s principle of Superimposition, in which identical grids are placed at different angles within a two-dimensional plane or three-dimensional space.
I have already been exploring this concept in my recent Weavings series, where—like Morellet—I begin with a foundational grid developed according to my own set of rules. While this series primarily focuses on the rotation of planes within the squares, this marks the first time I have tilted the squares as lines, following Morellet’s method.
3 Grids 0˚, -45˚, -20˚
70 x70 cm (framsize 71,5 x 71,5 cm)
manually cut with a scalpel, colorpencil
2025
To read more about this work and my approach here / scroll down
The defining characteristic of François Morellet’s work lies in its use of structures, systems, rules—and a kind of seemingly effortless humor.
Above all, it is the game and its rules that form the essence of his practice, rather than the final outcome or its aesthetic appeal. As Morellet himself remarked: “All my work is really nothing more than an example of the application of such rules.” and “I’m less interested in the result than in the system itself.”In relation to my own work:
Notably, I too work with overlapping and repeating forms and structures—this is also part of Morellet’s game. Because my works take the form of reliefs, the background becomes an integral part of what is perceived—creating an optical interaction. This is particularly evident in my cut works, where I incise fine ‘slivers’ into the foreground and fold them upward to form a relief. The resulting interstitial space reveals the background, which shifts in appearance depending on the viewer’s position.
Through this physical—and equally optical—layering, my work naturally echoes Morellet’s principle of interference: “The principle employing the juxtaposition or superimposition of groups of identical elements placed at irregular intervals. These elements could interfere in space (lines, structures) or time (light, objects).”
For the work created for Museum Gorcum, I have taken Morellet’s principle of Superimposition as my point of departure:
“The principle in which the same inclined grids with different angles entirely occupy a 2- or 3-dimensional space.”
I already explored this concept within the framework of my ongoing Weavings series, which is based on a foundational grid system governed by my own set of rules. Whereas this series typically focuses on plane rotations within the square, this marks the first time I have applied Morellet’s method of tilting the grid as line.
Morellet often worked with grids made of stark black lines—both within the confines of a canvas and extending beyond it, as wall paintings or sculptural objects. In this particular piece, I find his rule- and game-based logic especially legible. For this reason, I chose to work with the black line as well, but applied a tilt derived from my own underlying grid.
As with Morellet’s works, the title is derived from the rule applied, inviting the viewer to decode its logic through observation.
Text about the Symposion (in Dutch):
In 1974 stond gorinchem in het teken van het symposion. in deze innovatieve kunst- manifestatie speelden geometrische abstractie en natuur de hoofdrol. lokale en internationale kunstenaars werden ver- bonden met bedrijven uit de regio. uit deze samenwerkingen zijn beelden voortgekomen die nog altijd een toonaangevende rol spelen in de publieke ruimte van de stad. de werken vertegenwoordigen een uniek artistiek tijdsbeeld dat nog altijd vele kunstliefhebbers op de been brengt.
Ruim vijftig jaar na het geboortejaar van het symposion kijkt gorinchem terug op deze kunstmanifestatie en alles wat eruit voortkwam. stichting symposion gorinchem, stichting strand links, manivesta, regionaal archief gorinchem en het gorcums museum gingen hiervoor met elkaar een samenwerking aan. het resultaat is vanaf 14 juni 2025 op diverse locaties te zien.
Het gorcums museum toont meerdere werken van de zestien kunstenaars van het symposion ’74. om te laten zien dat deze werken nog steeds inspirerend zijn, nodigde het gorcums museum zestien veelal jonge makers uit die met hun hedendaagse werk reageren op het oeuvre van ‘de 16 van ‘74’.
Gorcums Museum, Symposion Een halve eeuw inspiratie… from June 14 – September 14 2025
With on the right side the work ‘diagonale – horizontale tekening op hout, vijf delen‘, 1979 by François Morellet.
In collection of Jaqueline de Keijzer-vanlandschoot.
(note that I did not make my work based on this specific work by Morellet, since I did not know what work they would hang in the exhibition.)