Twenty-fifth steel cardinal, 1974, Carl andre
Composition en blanc et noir II, 1930, Piet Mondriaan
Sixty stones, 1975, Richard Long
Kind, 1952, Karel Appel
Vorbereitung vor Betreten der Tate Gallery ("Wie Knochen entstehen") (aus der Serie: Words Which Can Hear), 1970, Joseph Beuys
Twenty-fifth steel cardinal, 1974, Carl andre
Composition en blanc et noir II, 1930, Piet Mondriaan
Sixty stones, 1975, Richard Long
Kind, 1952, Karel Appel
Vorbereitung vor Betreten der Tate Gallery ("Wie Knochen entstehen") (aus der Serie: Words Which Can Hear), 1970, Joseph Beuys
De Vleesstal, 1551-1555, Pieter Aertsen
Maria Magdalena, 1490-1500, Artist unknown
Still life with fruit and glass, 1670-1680, Henri de Fromantiou
De zondeval, 1550-1560, (Master of Paulus and Barnabas?)
1505-1510, Master of the Nenkersdorfer retabel (mathias Plauer?)
De Vleesstal, 1551-1555, Pieter Aertsen
Maria Magdalena, 1490-1500, Artist unknown
Still life with fruit and glass, 1670-1680, Henri de Fromantiou
De zondeval, 1550-1560, (Master of Paulus and Barnabas?)
1505-1510, Master of the Nenkersdorfer retabel (mathias Plauer?)
Twenty-fifth steel cardinal, 1974, Carl andre
Composition en blanc et noir II, 1930, Piet Mondriaan
Sixty stones, 1975, Richard Long
Twenty-fifth steel cardinal, 1974, Carl andre
Composition en blanc et noir II, 1930, Piet Mondriaan
Sixty stones, 1975, Richard Long
Kind, 1952, Karel Appel
Vorbereitung vor Betreten der Tate Gallery ("Wie Knochen entstehen") (aus der Serie: Words Which Can Hear), 1970, Joseph Beuys
De zondeval, 1550-1560, Artist unknown
De Vleesstal, 1551-1555, Pieter Aertsen
Still life with fruit and glass, 1670-1680, Henri de Fromantiou
De zondeval, 1550-1560, Artist unknown
De Vleesstal, 1551-1555, Pieter Aertsen
Still life with fruit and glass, 1670-1680, Henri de Fromantiou
1505-1510, Master of the Nenkersdorfer retabel (mathias Plauer?)
Maria Magdalena, 1490-1500, Artist unknown
In the work Invisible Present, Vaasen brings forth new stories and images from depths of science and history, setting these in relation to the artwork. She is interested in the subjectivity with which the value of works of art is determined. Such as political motives and societal developments that in the past have influenced the creation of art history.
For the outside world works of art seem to remain unchanged, but every work contains its own tiny universe of micro-organisms that live and develop. Ordinarily remaining unknown and invisible, their presence sometimes produces observable effects—some rusty discoloration, a musty smell, or crackle in paint. By amplifying the presence of the micro-organisms of the artwork, Vaassen makes palpable the external reality which we usually laminate with images and stories, limiting the world in the act of giving it internal meaning.
Invisible Present, digital prints, 30x 42cm, 2015
Special thanks to van Abbemuseum and Bonnefantenmuseum
Made possible thanks to the generous support of the Mondriaan Fonds
