240 x 148 cm
94 1/2 x 58 1/4 in
Jason Haam is pleased to present You want it darker – We kill the flame, a solo exhibition by Belgian-artist Marie Cloquet for Frieze No. 9 Cork Street, London. The presentation will feature 18-large panel works, made specifically for the exhibition—and on the occasion of the publication of Cloquet’s new monograph, a book signing event will be scheduled in the gallery space during the exhibition.
Cloquet creates new hybrid landscapes by altering real landscapes which she systematically photographs over periods of time. In this specific body of work, the artist collected images from surrounding volcanoes, and reconstructed these landscapes using collage and watercolor. The visual motif of volcanoes refers to a kind of inevitability of natural destruction, and further emphasizes the futility of mankind’s need to control. While demonstrating the helplessness found in the face of Nature, Cloquet also provides a glimpse into the resilience of humanity.
The title of the exhibition—You want it darker – We kill the flame—comes from Leonard Cohen’s 2016 song of the same name. In the song, Cohen reflects on his mortality, but also displays a sense of strength, despite experiences of suffering and sacrifice. Speaking to the fragility of our built environment, compounded by the dangerous pursuits of mankind, Cloquet’s reconstructed landscapes reveal places of desolation to recall feelings of familiarity and alienation within our collective memory.
Imbued with an emotional visual charger, Cloquet’s visual motifs are an indirect reaction to the impressions that reach her as an artist and a human being in the 21st century. This presentation will focus on a new body of work that emphasizes the artist’s attempt to place a gentle veil over dramatic images, to cover confrontational facts on the current state of the world, and the human condition with a layer of beauty. It is a reflection on our daily reality that is sometimes chaotic, or even disturbing, but in the midst of this, beauty—even if it is found shattered around us, is only visible in fragmented parts.
Click here to download the preview.
