Wolfe De Roeck
My, I Present You
Als performer onderzoek ik de grens tussen lichaam en object. In mijn werk “My, I Present You” onderzoek ik eeuwenoude Venusbeelden die zijn geplaatst in een tijd waarin de authenticiteit van een beeld niet langer te achterhalen is. Ik werk met materialen die eveneens in de kunstgeschiedenis zijn gebruikt, maar die door hun veranderlijkheid in interactie met de omgeving nu een nieuwe betekenis krijgen. Vanuit mijn achtergrond als danser, waar perfectie in nabootsing centraal stond, wil ik performance inzetten als een ervaring die de grenzen tussen lichamelijkheid en objectiviteit overstijgt.
“My, I Present You” toont de zoektocht van een performer/danser naar een portret van hoe ik me wens te presenteren in een Westers kunstenlandschap dat door de eeuwen heen schoonheid voorop heeft gesteld. Schoonheid, die op zich een abstract gegeven is, maar toch visueel werd gemaakt.
In mijn kunstpraktijk staat de hervisualisering van lichamelijkheid centraal. Ik verken en transformeer de grenzen van het lichaam-zijn naar een diepere, conceptuele beleving. Door gebruik te maken van multimedia technologieën, rituelen en traditionele elementen creëer ik een unieke vierde dimensie binnen performance, waarbij actietheater een belangrijke rol speelt.
Incomplete Venus
Model Of Matter
Model Of Matter
Combines a measuring instrument from classical sculpture with the design of a ballet barre.
A scale model of my body serves as a cast, poured in a changeable matter identical to a classical painting medium. When does our body cease to be ourselves, but rather an object in the eyes of others? Historically, art has always served as a mirror of society, a detailed representation of what we wanted to see. This reflection creates a consciousness that forces us to view ourselves through the lens of the other. In this underlying struggle, I find it essential to dissect and re-examine existing images.
Using measuring instruments from sculpture and painting pigments, I present a Venus figurine of my own body. In doing so, I question the duplication of identical ideals. During the melting process, the shape eventually disappears, leaving only an abstract residue. The performance starts from the five postures of Venus statues that I assume, but as time passes, these evolve into abstract movements. In this way, I move beyond the object and search for a comfortable form of myself, which is made audible through the sound of a theremin.
Materials: metal, plexiglass, titanium white pigment, gum arabic, water, computer- controlled program and sound system.
Measures
Breaking The Mould
Breaking The Mould
The space between these objects exudes its own inherent tension, a subtle invitation to reflect on the unspeakable and the unconscious. Central to the work is a two-part mold of my own body in full size. This mold, made of a deliberately chosen flexible material, symbolizes a transcendence of the physical cast, an artistic step that breaks through the boundaries of the object and offers space for interpretation.
One half of the mold is filled with water, in which I lie during a performative act. The water flows out of the mold, leaving a physical and symbolic echo: a self-portrait that captures the presence and temporary nature of my body.
The other half of the mold functions as a seating element, an invitation to the viewer. Through contact with the design of my body, an invisible but deep connection is created, a moment of silent interaction. The object stimulates the viewer to think about the relationship between self and other, between object and observer, and opens a gateway to the unspeakable that lies in the space between these physical forms.
Material: rubber, PU foam and water.
My, I Present You
My, I Present You
As a performer I am fascinated by the relationships between matter, sensation and consciousness. The world around us is deeply rooted in a material reality. Matter speaks a language that I can touch, feel and experience. I seek my truth in a tangible presence that absorbs transparency and reflection of the moment.
The installation “My, I Present You” shows five photographic images of myself printed and merged into two identical stained glass windows. The printing process makes the identical images show a different image depending on the point of view in combination with the reflection of the viewer. This work emerged from a performance-driven, conceptual framework in which themes such as transparency, resistance, resonance and disruption are central. It is a quest to break through prevailing norms, leave limitations behind and escape oppression.
In this creation, glass and hylite are at the core of my explorations. It is not just a material; it functions as a performer, a conductor, an instrument, and a powerful metaphor for both the individual and collective body. Like the human body, it embodies a paradox of vulnerability and strength, depending on how you engage with it. Substance, connection, and connotation are the essential concepts that form its foundation. It is a relational, conceptual experience in which I present myself: My, I Present You.
Material: mouth-blown glass, relief print, lead, hylite, metal and epoxy resin.