(Hidden) Trophies, a duo exhibition by Britte Koolen & Tim Wunderink

Duo exposition

The gallery is proud to present the duo exhibition (Hidden) Trophies by Britte Koolen (1994, NL) and Tim Wunderink (1991, NL). The idea of exhibiting together at Galerie Bart had been brewing in their minds for a while and now the time has finally come! The common thread connecting their work is found objects, which they use, each with their own distinctive visual language, to create trophies from what lies hidden.

Britte was artist-in-residence at PADA in Portugal in 2023, where she discovered her own new way of working. Her surroundings — an abandoned industrial estate — provided the perfect opportunity to hunt for forgotten objects. Britte set two conditions that the objects had to meet. They needed to be intact and round, in keeping with her previous work where rounded shapes were the hallmark. Her quest resulted in a collection of objects consisting of old, small discarded items that were then given a new life and put in the spotlight. These modest objects in earthy tones contrast nicely with the bright red and purple sculptures. Yet we can still recognise Britte’s distinctive style in both series, where the attention to detail and meticulous composition of the objects feature prominently.

Just like Britte, Tim also works with found objects. He collects items he finds on the street and at thrift stores, leaving him with plenty of material to work with. This allows his work to unfold organically, with found objects serving as both the starting point and the material for his assemblages. In these works, he dissociates objects from their original functions and transforms them into something new. Tim does this with only minimal alterations.

In his latest work, Tim combines jerry cans with stickers depicting abstracted snippets of photographs from his past. This personal touch is his way of getting a handle on life, exploring what is on his mind and how he feels. Before he was able to start living more consciously, Tim went through a tumultuous period, expressing his emotions on canvas.

Britte and Tim have found each other in the common ground of this duo exhibition, which celebrates the found object. They complement each other by revealing the beauty of that which has been discarded, creating their own trophies. This concept converges in both their individual work as well as their collaborative garden sculpture. The latter will be created during the exhibition and unveiled on 17 February.