Exhibition: A NON-U-MENTAL HISTORY OF M HKA – Part 1: Foundation Gordon Matta-Clark
M HKA, Antwerp
02 May 2021 - 29 August 2021
image: © Flor Bex
The Flemish museum world continues to evolve, but the media coverage of these innovations focuses almost exclusively on architectural concerns, while a museum is made up of much more. To get to the bottom of this, we look back at the history of M HKA.
In 1977, the International Cultural Centre (ICC) invited Gordon Matta-Clark (1943-1978) to realise a project in an empty office building opposite the Steen in Antwerp. The work, Office Baroque, is linked to the Rubens Year 1977. It refers to the bankruptcy of a shipping company, followed by the vacancy of the building in which it was located. Office Baroque is part of Matta-Clark's series of so-called 'cuttings'.
When Gordon Matta-Clark dies in 1978, at the age of 35, the Foundation Gordon Matta-Clark (1979-1985) is created to save Office Baroque, the artist's only remaining 'cutting' work. Many artists donate work to the Foundation, but unfortunately, the rescue attempt fails and several works are reclaimed. Some artists, however, maintain their donation and hope to support the establishment of a museum of contemporary art in Antwerp. As such, the Foundation Gordon Matta-Clark is an important link between the ICC and the eventual establishment of M HKA. The 182 works of the Foundation form the basis of the M HKA collection and emphasise the politically inspired international solidarity among artists.
In this presentation, 34 well-known and lesser-known works are shown that helped to determine the origins and identity of M HKA. They are supplemented with relevant documents that take us back to the late 1970s and the 1980s.
My hopes for a project in Antwerp would be to complete a ‘non-u-mental’ work that the city could go on enjoying for a certain period after its realization.
(Gordon Matta-Clark in a letter to Flor Bex, 1976)
This presentation is part of a larger programme that aims to highlight the oeuvre of the artists associated with the ICC, in relation to their work in the M HKA collection. In addition, it examines the ICC programming from the perspective of the ICC archive, which is also managed by M HKA. In this series, the 'non-u-mental' approach is continued as a method for thinking about the museum: it is less concerned with monumentality and more with the development of our understanding of the small things, always oriented towards discoveries.
3D Scan:
Please enjoy the 3D scan of the presentation here.
Second presentation: A NON-U-MENTAL HISTORY OF M HKA – Part 2: What must be heard
Third presentation: A NON-U-MENTAL HISTORY OF M HKA – Part 3: Classical Rewind
Media
>Gordon Matta-Clark, Office Baroque, 1977
>View of the exhibition A NON-U-MENTAL HISTORY OF M HKA PART 1: Foundation Gordon Matta-Clark – 02.05-29.08.2021
No image
>3D scan of the exhibition
WorksShow artists
> Ed Ruscha, Publications, 1962-1978. Artist Novel, books, Variable dimensions.
> Ed Ruscha, Twentysix Gasoline Stations, 1962. Book, ink, paper.
> Luca Maria Patella, Untitled, 1967. Photography, photo, canvas, 85 x 127 cm.
> Dr. Hugo Heyrman, Kunstmatig Landschap - maquette van ruimte en tijd [Artificial landscape], 1968. Sculpture, styropor covered with coloured felt (attached with pins), 150 x 200 x 20 cm.
> Hélène Keil, Garden, 1971. Sculpture, plexi, 45.5 x 45 x 45 cm.
> Hervé Fischer, Toile-mains (toile essuie-mains, hygiène de l'art), 1971. Painting, paint, canvas, 242 x 152 cm.
> Jean Schwind, Schwind Foundation, 1971. Sculpture, paper, photographs, Variable dimensions.
> Hugo Demarco, Arabesques, 1971. Installation, motor, formica, box, 60 x 10 x 60 cm.
> Tapta , Formes pour un espace souple, 1974. Sculpture, wool, 300 x 300 x 300 cm.
> Jan Smets, Mens, 1974. Painting, oil, canvas, gilded frame, 79 x 83 cm / 100 x 104 cm.
> Jacques Lennep, Maïs, 1974. Sculpture, photo, pencil, paper, east-indian ink, fiberboard, gypsum, nails, 66 x 6 x 76 cm.
> Luc Deleu, Project for international Dunghill, 1974. Other, ink, paper, 134 x 100 cm.
> Dan Graham, Untitled, 1974. Drawing, b/w photo, 12 x (40 x 55 cm).
> Jacques Louis Nyst, La maison traversée par l'orage, 1975. Photography, zwart/wit foto, plastic folie, gouache op papier, 50 x 32.5 cm.
> Antoni Muntadas, Sèrie emisió-recepció, 1975. Multiple, paper, 10 cm x 15,4 cm each.
> Juan d' Oultremont, Juan d'Oultremont est mort, 1976. Print, print, 11 x 6.7 cm.
> Daniël Dewaele, Tentoonstellen [To Exhibit], 1976. Photography, cardboard, photographs, 6 x (52 x 39 cm).
> Bernard Villers, 25 cageots, 1977. Sculpture, wood, acrylic, cotton, 27 x 27 x 5 cm.
> Johan van Geluwe, Rubens, 1977. Collage, velvet, wooden frame, postcard, 64 x 53 cm.
> Gordon Matta-Clark, Cherica Convents , A Jacob's Ladder. Remembering Gordon Matta Clark., 1977-2013. Video, hard disc with digital “hd pro res quick time” , 00:35:00.
> Gordon Matta-Clark, Office Baroque, 1977. Print, paper, 89 x 62 cm/ 91,5 x 64,5 cm.
> Gordon Matta-Clark, Office Baroque, 1977-2005. Video, 16 mm film on video, 00:44:00.
> Léa Lublin, Interrogations sur l’art, 1977. Installation, cloth, 198 x 292 cm.
> Vito Acconci, Tonight We Escape from New York, 1977. Collage, b/w photo, crayon, paper, plexi on black aluminium, 151 x 118 x 5 cm.
> Ann Messner, A hole cut in a door, 1978. Collage, b/w photographs, white paper, 30 x 41 cm.
> Endre Tót, 1/2 dozen Berliner Gladness Postcards, 1979. Postcard, offset, cards, envelopes, blue din a6 paper.
> Jean-Pierre Point, Digue de mer, deux personnages et un chien, 1979. Print, screen print, paper, 129 x 93.5 cm.
> Joël Frémiot, Peinture, 1979. Painting, gouache pencil, ink, canvas, 40.2 x 33.5 cm.
> Philippe Van Snick, (0-9) punten in de ruimte, 1979. Installation, (0-9) dots in space.
> Filip Francis, Motorisch-mentale compositie, 1979. Painting, tempera, canvas, 180 x 180 cm.
> Adriaan De Regt, Road Voice (Project Sound Sculpture II), 1979. Sculpture, stones, 40 x 1000 cm.
> Guillaume Bijl, 10 kleurenfoto’s van installaties, 1979-1985. Photography, photographs, 31 x 49 cm.
> Karen Shaw, Untitled, 1980. Collage, collage, text, paper, 35.5 x 64.5 cm.
> Philippe Vandenberg, Zonder titel [Untitled], 1981. Painting, oil, canvas, 250 x 150 cm.
> Schède [Collectif de travail] , Sans titre (Schede - itinérante et éphemère). Installation, rode verf op katoen, 185 x 177 cm.
> Martial Raysse, Sans titre. Multiple, fibreboard, veneer, black stain, canister, expansion foam, 60 x 80 cm.