We visited two rich exhibitions at Wiels this morning. The first, Apperception, provides an overview of the work of Dutch artist Daan van Golden, from the early 1960s through to today. An ‘apperception’, the programme notes explain, is ‘perception that is assimilated to a reflection and awareness, as distinct from perception that is strictly the sensory ability itself.’ Van Golden’s view of the world reveals ‘the extraordinary concealed in the ordinary.’ He has been deliberately non-prolific and each work on display merits consideration as the product of intense, if concealed, reflection. ‘Flagrant Delight’ is a retrospective of the witty and ironical work of German contemporary artist Rosemarie Trockel, as exemplied in her most famous work, ‘wool paintings’ and cooking rings (a wry commentary on the male-dominated art of the time). Both exhibitions are well worth a visit, as is the Wiels space itself (perfect for the minimalism of van Golden’s works). I always have a modest sense of satisfaction about Wiels. It is one of two buildings (the other being the Oxo tower in central London) that I helped, in a tiny way (I mean, by signing a petition and making a contribution), to save from demolition. When I was in Boston I was astounded to learn that the Old State House was almost pulled down by developers. In all three cases, in retrospect, you ask yourself how could they have done it? The truth is that much has gone and much more could still go. Vigilance and public support are the only answers.
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