廖 智 新
ANGUS | ZHIXIN LIAO

Barn to Stable

Risks are everywhere, and some of the greatest threats come from things that are imperceptibly small and nearly invisible.

TICK CHECK!

The exhibition Barn to Stable, just like the term 'farm-to-table', brings to you fresh art directly from the countryside for your gastronomical delight. It is the result of inviting a number of artists, enticed by exquisite locally brewed beer, hearty home-cooked meals and copious amounts of ‘gezelligheid’, to visit and stay in a stunning Flemish barn surrounded by flowers, trees, birds, moles, and horses in the Dutch-Belgian borderland. They learned how to perform full-body tick-checks and how to remove them with a special tool. Which is essential because there are health risks associated with being bitten by a tick. That's why tick tools are available in the barn, and one of the reasons why slippers are encouraged; they ensure proper isolation from the floor when examining yourself.

The Flemish barn on Moersebaan in Zundert, once a royal tax warehouse (the ancestor of the Belastingdienst), is now used as a residency studio. Likewise, the Stadsgalerij, formerly a horse stable in a national military camp, has been converted into an experimental art gallery (not for blasting experiments). This presentation reflects the mix of tension and relaxation that accompanies artists during their summer break after the second quarter of tax declarations. This is crucial, since a fertile ground for art requires an even mix of labor and leisure. There is a physical toll from years of practicing art; an artwork is a form of labor after all. However, it can also be fun if conditions are right. Fourteen participants present unique ideas, methods, and interpretations in response to an invitation, moving from the barn to the stable with paintings, drawings, sculptures, videos, installations, and other delicacies.

Text by Angus / Kimball / Jorge