‘Waarts’ is a concept that focuses on movement, direction and position within space. As a word commonly used as a suffix, like in ‘forward’ or ‘sideways’, it indicates a specific direction or location. In art, and especially in sculptural works, the term takes on a deeper meaning. It refers not only to the physical placement of an object in a space, but also to the dialogue created between the artwork, its surroundings and the viewer.

When a sculpture is placed in a space, it is not just about the object itself, but about its interaction with the space around it. Sculptures can reach up, turn towards the wall, or spread out on the floor. The term ‘true’ emphasises this dynamic, with each work choosing its own direction and thus entering into a specific relationship with its surroundings.

In a broader sense, ‘waarts’ invites us to think about how we experience space. It raises questions about how we move around an environment, how objects change our perspective and how we position ourselves in relation to the objects around us.

The exhibition ‘Waarts’ shows mainly sculptural work. The exhibition emerged from the art practice of several artists, focusing on a variety of perspectives and questions. For many artists, querying sculpture involves challenging and redefining traditional ideas about sculpture, in terms of form, space and meaning. What does it mean to place an object in space? What relationship is created between the work and its surroundings? Does it create an autonomous world, or does it interact directly with the space and the audience? And how does the work play with the boundary between object and functionality? Is a sculpture purely aesthetic, or can it also serve a functional purpose? ‘Waarts’ explores both physical and conceptual relationships between artworks, spaces and people.

Curator: Henk Delabie