13 June: Opening exhibition ‘Tatalizing Absence’ with sculptures by Helen Vergouwen and paintings, and videos by Lon Godin

Open Thursday – Sunday 13 June -11 July: make an appointment by email to: annemie.emons@artgalleryo68.com

Lon Godin makes paintings, videos and photos.

Her art expresses a fascination for movement, change and time. Her images do not seem to stop at the edges of the canvas, but to continue in all directions.
Colors and structures that pulsate in a shimmering rhythm in a universe of their own, not only in the films, but almost even more fascinating in the photos and especially in her paintings.
“Every work is a cut-out of an immense imaginary reality,” she says. The viewer experiences that endless continuity, which is what Godin is aiming for, the construction of a visual reality, a ‘nature’ created by her.
Nature not in the conception of earth, water, air, fire, but as, what she calls, “Nature as constant dynamic transformation.” Dynamics and transformation on the flat canvas!
Painting is the basis of her work. Godin says: “The painting allows me to withdraw from the laws of nature.” The flat canvas gives her that vast space in which time stands still and yet movement is suggested.
Almost without exception, she makes her paintings in one uninterrupted session, even if it takes 14 hours, or sometimes longer. Painting begins with a small preconceived series of actions that quickly develops into a form of improvisation. In that process Godin pushes her boundaries by allowing chance and intuition.
   

Lon Godin, Surface Tension, 2021, Olieverf op doek, 200 x 180 cm

Helen Vergouwen’s sculptures refer to maps of houses, cities or places where she has been.

These are imagined memories solidified in the sturdy material that the sculptures are made of: wood, bronze and corten steel. The structure of the material is important. Her works are about forms, usually geometric forms, but sometimes also irregular, more organic forms. Vergouwen plays with opposites such as open versus closed, rough versus smooth, inside versus outside. Geometric abstract art, but intuitive, not calculated. Helen releases emotion by letting you look at a form made from rusty steel. The attraction of her sculptures is reinforced by her masterly command of the materials she uses and the precision of her work.

Helen Vergouwen (1960) lives, works and exhibits both in the Netherlands and in France. She studied at St. Joost Academy in Breda. Her work is exhibited in the Netherlands, France, Belgium, China, Germany, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Poland, Russia, Spain and Sweden. Her artworks are included in collections such as Nagy-Nemes, Budapest (HU), CIAC Center International d ‘Art Contemporary in Carros (FR), MAGI’900, Bologna (IT) and Gorcums Museum Gorinchem (NL). Summer 2021 Stedelijk Museum Breda has a solo-exhibition of her work.

Helen Vergouwen, 559, 2019, cortenstaal, 150x93x26cm