Neïl Beloufa, O.T., 2015

2015

Medium

Aluminum, chewing gum and epoxy resin

Dimensions

15 × 27 cm

Edition

Edition of 20

Status

In Gallery Collection

Collect24 Art ID

C24-156273

Neïl Beloufa's edition O.T. , created in 2015 for his exhibition Hopes for the Best at the Schinkel Pavillon, is reminiscent of a relic from the past. Silver paper is fixated onto a roughly cut aluminum plate with epoxy resin and chewing gum. A Beloufa sketch is visible through the fine gum paper, which at first glance resembles hieroglyphics; after a closer look it reveals an image of our age. Buildings, cars, and roads can be recognized next to trees and animals. The strong handmade studio aesthetic of these works, with rough edges and everyday materials gives each piece a unique character and defies any notion of a smooth and seamless professionalism of pictorial production, underscoring the ambivalence in which Beloufa sees himself as an artist. "Part of my work system is to make art the way people do things - DIY, if you will. It allows us to have a certain closeness to these alienating elements, to desacralize them and have a certain affection for them." He humorously plays with the expectations of fine art while elevating these "poor materials" to a status of value by creating an aesthetic aura reminiscent of early cultural relics.