During the cultural city festival Antwerp Baroque 2018. Rubens Inspires, the M HKA, the Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp, juxtaposes the spirit of the baroque masters with the vision of contemporary top artists. With the exhibition Sanguine/Bloedrood (Blood Red), curator Luc Tuymans aims to overwhelm the visitor by placing key works from the baroque of, among others, Francisco de Zurbarán and Caravaggio, in dialogue with works by classical contemporary masters, such as On Kawara and Edward Kienholz, as well as new works by contemporary stars such as Zhang Enli, Takashi Murakami, Michaël Borremans, Sigmar Polke and Tobias Rheberger. 

antwerpenbarok2018.be

Carla Arocha & Stéphane Schraenen

Mixed Media
Plexiglass, acrylic paint, stainless steel

In Persiana, we are confronted with the subtle effect that roller blinds (with their thin, parallel slats) have on our vision. 'Persiana' is the Spanish and Italian term applied to these sorts of sunblinds, serving to protect against light and heat.  At the same time they reveal/conceal what plays out within. Another term for this kind of shutter is 'jalousie', evoking associations with suspicion, paranoia and privacy. This work stimulates the viewer to think about the painting as a window on reality, and questions the relationship between that which is shown and that which remains hidden.