'Life is Performance and Vanity 2: Acts of Contemplation' is the second and concluding part of a series in which Tom Woestenborghs examines vanity in the present day. It reflects on how we relate to this concept in a world permeated by social media. A constant presence that continually brings our perception of who we are (or wish to be) to the fore. A game that must be played, or from which it is very difficult to escape.
The first part focused heavily on ostentation and its associated sensitivities. In this second part, the focus turns more inwards. Towards the idea of maximum self-development. This is not only because we want it, but also because it has become a requirement: Ever fitter, more intelligent, more attractive ... a race against everything and everyone.
Tom Woestenborghs (1978, BE) lives and works in Hoogstraten, Belgium. He studied Fine Art at Sint-Lucas, obtaining his Master's degree in Painting from the Higher Institute of Fine Arts (HISK) in Antwerp.
Tom Woestenborghs is a Belgian visual artist known for his layered collages that combine photography, painting, and mixed media. Originally trained as a painter, he developed his own visual language by working with self-adhesive plastic films instead of traditional paint, placing his works at the intersection of mixed media and painting.
BFF: A curated group exhibition with Saminte Ekeland | Rolf den Dunnen | J & B
Friendship: a relationship characterised by lasting affection, appreciation, intimacy and trust between two people. Across all cultures and throughout history, friendships have been important relationships in people's personal lives.
The exhibition seeks to reveal how friendships between artists, as well as between curators, gallery owners and artists, influence, inspire, challenge and critique their work.
BFF'S POSITIONS
If we attempt to situate BFF's, we do so by answering the following questions:
One. Is friendship good in itself? In other words, is friendship intrinsically good?
Two. Or is friendship good because of its consequences: is it instrumentally good?
Three. Or is friendship a combination of being good in itself and being instrumental?
These questions yield three answers or 'positions'. The first position holds that friendship is good in itself and is regarded as a virtue and as absolute. The second position views friendship as instrumental and focuses primarily on the consequences and outcomes. The third position is a combination of friendship as both intrinsically and instrumentally good. The first and second positions form the boundaries of a friendship line running through a central point.
BFF & DEMOCRACY
In our view, there is a strong link between friendship, community and democracy. Some people believe that democracy is not possible without community, and community is not possible without friendship. These concepts build on one another and are interdependent. One of the pillars of democracy is freedom of expression. And isn't freedom of expression also important in friendship? Even if you don't see eye to eye, you can still respect each other's opinions without jeopardising the friendship.