Michaël Aerts: Please Please Me

Exhibition

12 Dec 2009
17 Jan 2010

The Belgian visual artist Michaël Aerts presents an overview of his largely monumental work. Please Please Me not only sizzles with inferred significance, but also attempts to draw the spectator out of his or her daily routine.

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Michael Aerts - Le Rocher Noir Fondant (detail), - 2008. Courtesy Deweer Gallery Veerle Desmedt

Aerts's colossal sculptures are witness to his interest in changing socio-cultural symbols. Take for instance the 'life-size' obelisk, built up out of flight cases which are normally used for the transport of musical equipment, or the classical temple façades that float in the air. Music, smoke and sophisticated lighting surround the sculptures with a party atmosphere.

In the drawings and the SM-darkroom, too, we see how Aerts is fascinated by ecstasy and the shifting of reality and symbols. Bondage and other forms of rough sex cause the image people have of each other to tumble, and the same effect grips the visitors to the extraordinary collection of objects in Aerts's SM-darkroom.

Michaël Aerts (Dendermonde, 1979) exhibited last summer in Milan with A Night at the Playboy Mansion and this year made his debut in New York at the famous biennial Performa. Michaël Aerts is represented by DEWEER Gallery Otegem (B), Federico Luger Gallery Milaan and Ron Mandos Amsterdam.

The exhibition is organised in cooperation with DEWEER Gallery Otegem, Belgium.
www.michaelaerts.com/ www.deweergallery.com

Opening hours

Mo 13h00 - 18h00
Tu until Fri - 10h00 - 20h30
Sat 13h00 - 20h30
Sun 13h00 - 17h00

24 December: 10h00 - 17h00
26 December until 3 January: 13h00 - 17h00.
closed on 25 December and 1 January
Free admission.