London Biennale

Madeleine Wermenbol and Blauwhuis/Wim Wauman

Waasmunster, Belgium


Madeleine Wermenbol and Blauwhuis/Wim Wauman
Soul Masks

2020


In the face of Covid-concealment, transparency and distant voices
stemming loudly from the roots of mental worlds – entangled
underneath the skin in black, white and brilliant colours
collaborate to unravel new pathways, as pilgrims guided
by the slow but steady textility of making #NewFuturesPossible.

Yesterday’s seafront shores – appealing visions of distant destinations
Tomorrow’s lucid dreams – reappearing truths of instant meditations
on the present condition – interwoven surfaces of the visible realm
and the intangible reality of daily explorations with Spaceship Earth.

Do they scare us or do they help reveal tiny pieces of the rainbow
connecting our souls like threads and wires, lines and patterns
guarding the surface of our internal longing for recognition
in the shine of human beings, unique #MaterialSoul masks – revealing
timeless condensations unlocked – released from the perspective
of social distance and mental isolation.

BIO:
Madeleine Wermenbol has been working as a graphic designer and illustrator for many years but started experimenting with textile art and weaving only a few years ago. It has become her passion to connect with soulmates and creatives, to transform things-as-they-are and help lift the material world to another level. She does all this by welcoming thoughtful collaborations with fellow enchanters of the visible realm, and by skilfully translating her challenging experiences and imaginations into a strong, singular and multidisciplinary visual language.

Blauwhaus is an experimental and complex concept conceived in 2019 by artist Wim Wauman (°1976, lives and works in Belgium) as the conclusion of his artistic research PhD-project on the complementary duo Arts and Crafts and as an answer to the fundamental questions raised by his preceding WORK FLOW exhibition project from 2018. The name ‘Blauwhaus’ is a neologism and refers to the Blauwendael castle (Waasmunster, BE) and the Bauhaus which was established exactly 100 years earlier by architect Walter Gropius in Weimar (DE), and gives a nod at the Red House in London (UK) where William Morris surrounded himself with the pre-Raphaelite-circle. Some believe Blauwhaus cherishes to fuel a new (Contemporary) Arts & Crafts Movement.

The ‘original’ Blauwhaus constituted an installation designed to host, ‘connect’ and collaborate with fellow artists, makers and thinkers, but it also encompassed a phantasmagorical ‘twilight zone’ created to induce an enhanced a state of (creative) ‘flow’ and to stimulate imaginative forces. During the spring of 2019, and within walking distance from a charming castle in Waasmunster (Flanders), the artist and his dreamteam collaborated to produce new work together and set up a series of artistic interventions and events including a pop-up exhibition/guided walk. The project involved the exploration and extrapolation of local peculiarities and histories involving a mermaid holding a turnip, an abbey, ‘Sole Mio’ blankets, pilgrims, two (or three?) birds and two historical artifacts depicting a ‘Waesmonster’…

The project gradually transmuted into a dreamy mental space to conduct DeepResearch®, to approach reality from divergent perspectives, to inspire and to stimulate new narratives and poetic thoughts. Today, the spirit of Blauwhaus is kept alive by setting up new imaginative and challenging collaborations with enthusiastic creatives from different fields, either starting from personal initiatives of its prime associates, or from an invitation or a new opportunity to develop an idea, exhibition, event or project.

CREDITS:
Photography, design and weaving: Madeleine Wermenbol
Text and conceptualization: Wim Wauman (Blauwhaus)
Models: Wuletta and Taitu Deconinck



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