Happy to hear you're doing fine
William Ludwig Lutgens
04.03.2023 - 30.04.2023
William Ludwig Lutgens
04.03.2023 - 30.04.2023
The world is a stage, and according to William Ludwig Lutgens (1991, Turnhout), the play that unfolds on it is a tragicomedy. The Belgian artist captures the absurdity of everyday life in his work. He transforms his observations into grotesque scenes that he enriches with references to art history, world news and contemporary politics. 38CC presents Lutgens' first solo exhibition in the Netherlands: Happy to hear you're doing fine. For Lutgens, the point of departure for the exhibition is the ever-growing role of vulnerability in society and art, and the relationship between physicality and freedom. This translates into life-sized, painted dolls that can be seen as three-dimensional paintings. They sit quietly and wait, scattered throughout the room. In combination with large-scale drawings and paintings, Lutgens transforms the exhibition space into a setting for puppet therapy, where the puppets act as mirrors for the viewer. They evoke different associations: a reflection of individual loneliness, but also a sense of belonging. The puppets are like the artist's marionettes. He uses them for his research into human drives and feelings such as shame, isolation, and oppression. photos: We document art
