Metamorphosis, this is the name of the forthcoming exhibition of visual artist Annesas Appel in BRADWOLFF PROJECTS. The art works that will be shown as part of this project are exhibited as the outcome of a creative process where Appel converted a series of numbers into a logical system and then ‘translated’ this in sound and image. Thus Appel tries to bring order in her own world and shares her logic with the wider outside world.
As a rule, Annesas Appel systematically maps objects from her daily life and arranges them on the basis of their formal characteristics according to specific criteria such as the colours of the books in her bookcase, the length of the borders in an atlas or details of her garments. She unravels the existing structure of what she is researching and the ensuing fragments are closely knitted together creating a result of her own. By means of this analytical method of working Appel tries to come to grips with seemingly invisible systems from her daily surroundings.
However with the project ‘Metamorphosis’ for BRADWOLFF PROJECTS this time Appel doesn’t take any self discovered or invented systems from her surroundings as her starting point but abstract entities, namely de sequence of numbers 1 to 9. Appel is investigating how she can arrange these numbers in her own manner, but in such a way that it can be converted into a system: she translates the number series in her own logical system that forms the basis of the creation of images and music. In this manner Appel shows that numbers have a fixed visual identity.
The metamorphic creation process of this project, with the many intermediate steps, leads to different end results. In the BRADWOLFF PROJECTS space Appel exhibits a hundred perforated music notes. Next to this paper expression of music, Appel will fill the space with the musical recordings of these translated systems. The recordings sound like ‘minimal music’ and connect closely to the visual presentation of the music notes. With this a video will be shown that willillustrate in a visual manner how the system behind this music works. In the exhibition at BRADWOLFF PROJECTS Appel allows colour, image, structure, system, rhythm and sound to come together in a clear fashion/manner, through which the visitor can become aquainted with a world compiled by Appel.
Annesas Appel [Haarlem, 1978] studied at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam. She has exhibited nationally and internationally. Her work is represented in numerous museums and corporate collections among others Museum of Modern Art Library, New York, J. Paul Getty Trust, Los Angeles, Ampersand Foundation in South Africa and Caldic collection, Wassenaar.
In the context of the exhibition an artist’s book ‘Metamorphosis, music notation’, [edition 100] will be published. It also includes a photo overview of the exhibition and a CD recording by Bart Possemis.The special limited edition of 10 comes with 5 signed prints. The book is designed by Kees Janmaat of BuroKees. The publication is realized in collaboration with Johan Deumens Gallery and will be available for purchase at BRADWOLFF PROJECTS.
Companion text Annesas Appel in conversation with Christine van den Bergh