VRIJ SPEL - between censorship and a new beginning

Last weekend we had the wonderful opening VRIJ SPEL in Rijksmuseum Twenthe - In the Museum and in the Cafeteria also.

After a residency in our room, Jitske Bakker presented a new format of exhibition - she realized an experiment between charcoal and paper work, sculpture and painting, printing and kicking out of all of them together! 

(sorry for my germanenglish .-)

The artistic process itself is examined for its material presence and absence - and in the end a small figure lies above everything - a representation performance of a Bakkerian present itself. Fantastic!

She created a Real Eraser Creature, which work for her - and send us some thoughts about...we decide to publish.

Thank you for your installation - we will show next at MEHR DRUCK on 15th of March at 6 pm during the TAG DER DRUCK KUNST - Schulstraße 43 in 48149 Münster. Hope to see you! Yours Ruppe Koselleck 

- as #totalerkurator of the BERLINER KUNSTVEREIN

Foto: Jitske Bakker 2024 - Installation Vrij Spel 

I was not quite sure what could actually work within the size and vibe of BERLINER KUNSTVEREIN.

But I was granted free play - no restrictions 

Foto: Jitske Bakker 2024 - Installation Vrij Spel 

To build a show within the context of this space as I would like it

In this space approximately the size of my head I retreated for

about a week as artist in residence

Where I experienced many things to work a little differently

I could work as fast as thoughts came and went

And at the same time reflect with some distance on my actions,

Art practice and my working materials

On my mind there was this question by one of my coalmates:

Is it really charcoal (that) I want?”

Foto: Jitske Bakker 2024 - Installation Vrij Spel 

Quite a paradox for me as I start to think about it

Especially if my love for this material is based on its quality to be

so easily erased.

Same thing with the paper that I like to tear and crumple

Forms of damaging in order to create.

I decided to put my kneading eraser in this set-up 

Becoming a physical representation of myself

So I could watch ‘me’ interact with the charcoal and paper.

This way I could document a lot of movements as in-between poses

The censorship and starting over really seem a constant

throughout the working process.

In the end the kneading eraser me retreated to the rooftop of

BKV 

Where it can continue its final performance “It’s a wrap” 

Its absence made room inside for the Polly and the spectator.

The exhibition shows a mix of existing- and new work

Two loose cut-out patterns “Dwalingen” (wanderings) that were

made with my home-made charcoal of Ribes Sanguineum in

this setting not details anymore but gigantic blow ups

With a kind of sacred feel to it, maybe, within the paper cave

installation

A crumpled piece of paper worked with charcoal that was kicked

out before as a failure

Made a new entrance in the front, where it lays embedded as a

strange kind of seedling.

Foto: Jitske Bakker 2024 - Installation Vrij Spel 

“Vrij spel” (also overall title of the exhibition) has been

specifically created for this place only.

Jitske Bakker 2024