PRESENTATION: Joris Van de Moortel-Hell On Earth, In Search Of PUR, NUR And FUR

Joris Van De Moortel’s artworks are often constructed as resounding boxes, which are constituted by the relics of past musical performances. As a musician, he indeed plays and performs on stage and then uses the music instruments and sometimes also parts of the stage to build the final artworks. By deconstructing the instruments and objects used for the performance and then reassembling them, he cathartically gives his own interpretation of ready-made, finding a balance between order and chaos.

By Dimitris Lempesis
Photo: S.M.A.K. Archive

Joris Van de Moortel has been building his multidisciplinary oeuvre, which transcends borders and defies conventions, for more than 15 years. His studio is akin to a laboratory of the imagination, where he experiments with materials and ideas like a modern alchemist. While traditional alchemists seek eternal life and gold, Van de Moortel seems to be striving for a different kind of treasure: a path through the chaos of a rapidly changing world. At the same time, he remains true to the essence of art, knowledge and imagination. His musical performances, sculptures and paintings, not to mention his films and tarot cards, contain an abundance of puzzles, puns and art-historical references. A deep-seated creative urge characterises his visual language. For Van de Moortel, this chaotic aesthetic is essential for a critical discussion of the complex relationships between nature, culture, art, religion and contemporary society. In his solo exhibition “Hell On Earth, In Search Of PUR, NUR And FUR”, Joris Van de Moortel creates an overwhelming installation that fills and transforms S.M.A.K.’s space. New oil paintings, watercolours, models, sculptures, videos and music converge in an almost esoteric setting, wherein every corner tells a story, sometimes hopeful, at other times apocalyptic. “Hell On Earth, In Search Of PUR, NUR And FUR” is not a static exhibition, but a total experience. Van de Moortel brings the installation to life with live music and performances, blurring the boundaries between artwork and audience, and infusing the space with a unique energy. “Hell on Earth” is not merely an observation of chaos but an invitation to reflect and act. Van de Moortel places us in the NUR, between the PUR and FUR, urging us to recognize our responsibility in restoring environmental balance. He calls for reclaiming our soul, reconnecting it with the soil, and planting our heart in the earth like a seed. This exhibition is a call to shatter the apathy and ignorance that grips our society. It conjures an apocalyptic image that reflects our current times, but also marks a new beginning. One in which art is the ultimate vehicle for revealing the journey’s deeper meaning as a collection of imagined memories. As the artist says “The idea of describing an artistic practice “in general” never really appalled to me. I rather just start showing things, and depending on where the introduction takes place – ideally in the studio and second during a performance… What I like about the idea of “introductions” is the entry, where to step into a particular universe, which is always different depending on the where, what and how – in that sense I do feel sympathy for small “general” texts, as it also gives an opportunity for a different kind of approach. And that’s something to embrace and can lead to new perspectives. How would one describe in a nut-shell of what keeps one busy 24 h a day 7 to 7? Giving so much n the work, paintings, performances, exhibitions, publications, records, notebooks, writings, films, music, a world in which everyone’s invited to join on this dubious pilgrimage crossing and ping-ponging between the here and now, set camp in the 16th century and look ahead to the next 500 years in the loop. The Tarot set I developed, or the key to understand it, is accepting the paradox that by wanting to understand one has to accept nothing can be understood, we just have a bunch of keys to unlock parts and doors, create passages and ways through. And we collect more keys along the way, some we loose. These tarot cards and combination of cards give insight in the universe (i) create(d), but are not meant to reveal a so called “general” perspective, on the contrary, confusion is the key!” On the occasion of the exhibition, Van de Moortel will release a second version of his self-developed tarot cards, a second volume in the comic series “Mat & Babelario”, and a double album on vinyl compiling fifteen years of performances.

Photo: Joris Van de Moortel Hell On Earth, In Search Of PUR, NUR And FUR, Installation view S.M.A.K.-Ghent, 2024 Courtesy the artist and S.M.A.K.

Info: S.M.A.K., Jan Hoetplein 1, Ghent, Belgium, Duration: 5/10/2024-2/3/2025, Days & Hours: Tue-Fri 9:30-17:30, Sat-Sun 10:00-18:00, https://smak.be/