In his characteristic gray, monochrome palette, Hans Op de Beeck‘s current solo exhibition Whispered stories bee Templon fashion enigmatic stories from lifelike silhouettes. The immersive, expansive presentation brings together a mix of new and previous work, inviting viewers into an atmospheric, introspective space.
In Op de Beeck’s sculptures, people and dioramas appear frozen in time, as if plucked from a memory or dream. ‘Zhai-Lia (Angel)’, for example, portrays a young girl with fairy wings and a wand in hand, sitting pensively in front of a strip of bamboo. In ‘Zhai-Lia (Mother’s Shoes)’ she wears a tutu and oversized high heels.
The artist often depicts children interacting with the adult world yet remaining innocent of concerns beyond their own, channeling the captivating otherworldliness of youthful imagination and play. The unchanging flatness of the gray palette makes the figures seem distant from reality, while their presence takes on a universal feeling.
Time also takes hold in works such as “Danse Macabre,” in which a miniature carousel is placed on a pole at eye level and a skeleton stands among celestial bodies in Victorian-era clothing. Together with a sculpture entitled ‘Vanitas Table’, in which a classic still life setting shows a human skull, Op de Beeck responds to the tradition of souvenir morithe reminder that life inevitably ends.
“The way the artist plays with the perception of scale and atmosphere creates a disconnect, a sense of strangeness when confronted with scenes that are out of the ordinary,” said a statement from the gallery. “Each work offers us the seed of yet another possible story… [and] transforms the prosaic into an almost magical experience where simplicity produces the unexpected.”
Whispered stories continues through December 21 in New York. More information about the artist website And Instagram.
