Diplomatic World 67

WM GALLERY BY PATRICK DECLERCK
SUPPLIER OF GOOD TASTE
DER EWIGE MENSCH
ULRIKE BOLENZ
Ten years after the passage of Custode Samurai
V in the MAS Antwerp, and two successful exhibitions
at WM Gallery, the worldwide renowned
Italian artist Matteo Pugliese is coming back to
Antwerp with the solo exhibition ‘A matter of
trust’, featuring new, impressive, and never-
before-seen artworks.
On the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of
his art career, he is showing, for the first time, a
sculpture that does not fight the wall, but confidently
surrenders to fate. It links to the game of
trust in which the person lets himself fall backwards
into the arms of the person he trusts.
MATTEO PUGLIESE
A MATTER OF TRUST
There are so many artists whose works instil admiration in me.
I only knew Ulrike Bolenz’ work in fragments, partly from a visit
to her studio, where there were mostly recent, large-scale works
on display, together with numerous intriguing sketches. However,
from these fragments it is easy to deduce that they are part of a
larger, coherent and, as far as I am concerned at least, awe-inspiring
whole.
There is nothing better than a monograph to absorb this larger
whole, to allow it to slowly seep into the deepest layers of
consciousness. The pleasure of wandering through a vast body
of work also increases in direct proportion to the care taken in
its publication. In this sense, Ulrike’s recently published monograph
can be considered a climax. The beautiful and captivating
design, the rich and varied choice of images, the luxurious print
- everything shows how much care this book was made.
Above all, it is the whole concept of the book that offers added
value. Where most monographs offer a chronological overview of
an oeuvre, and try to extract the common thread from the logical
sequence of the works, this monograph offers a much more
dynamic perspective on Ulrike’s oeuvre.
It is not so much a thematic presentation, nor an order in style
or colour, but rather its own storyline, which springs from a
careful examination and understanding of the entire oeuvre. The
sequence in the book feels more like a major solo exhibition by
Ulrike in a major museum. Here you have a room with some key
works, there some smaller thematic rooms, a bit further on some
works that resonate with each other in terms of style and feeling,
though the whole thing remains respectful of the artist’s own
stamp, the progression she has made in her practice over many
years, and the central theme of her oeuvre (“She does not dramatise,
but puts her brush in the wound of human fatality”, Willem
Elias beautifully writes in the accompanying text) ...
The book was actually and masterfully curated by Bruno Devos,
director of the Stockmans publishing house. The result is simply
amazing...
I can’t claim to have read all the art books published this year,
but of those that I have held in my hands, this one is certainly the
highlight...
Fréderic De Meyer, The ArtCouch
The sculptures of Matteo Pugliese (Milan, °1969)
enjoy world fame. The exhibition in Antwerp follows
exhibitions in Rome, London, Hong Kong
and New York, among others.
In September 2013, Pugliese had the opportunity
to overhaul the interior of the legendary Caffè
Florian in Venice’s San Marco Square. Matteo’s
work can also be admired in starred restaurants
such as Zilte (Antwerp) and Contraste (Milan).
WM Gallery is very honoured to be able to show
Matteo Pugliese’s sculptures in exclusivity for
BeNeLux permanently in its collection, and this
for more than a decade.
Expo from Saturday 23 April to Sunday 12 June 2022
WM Gallery by Patrick Declerck - Supplier of good taste
Wolstraat 45, 2000 Antwerpen - +32 475 25 14 02 - info@wmgallery.be - wmgallery.be
Open from Thursday to Sunday, continuously from 1 to 6 pm, or by appointment.
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