M HKA Ensembles

Sculpture, 130 x 78 x 1.5 cm.

Collection: Collection M HKA, Antwerp (Inv. no. BK7587).

Throughout the series *Places*, Vercruysse uses the universally recognizable symbols of playing cards. For the third group of works within the series, of which *Places (III.5)* is part, Vercruysse designed a usable, legible script based on the card symbols. These works carry actual textual inscriptions, and seem strikingly communicative in the context of Vercruysse's otherwise enigmatic oeuvre. Nonetheless, *Places (III.5)* does not lend itself to a quick reading either. A transcription to our own alphabet leaves us with the text "I AM" on the left panel, and "Here / -- / AND IS" on the right; cryptic, poetic texts with minimal concrete content. They clearly reflect Vercruysse's past as a writer and visual poet, but provide few clues for further interpretation. Again, it is not about the content of the words, but about the possibility of content the words provide.