PRESSRELEASE
The Bakery
ERIK VAN LIESHOUT
October 20 – November 17, 2018
Opening October 20, 5-7pm
Annet Gelink Gallery proudly presents Freddy’s, a presentation by Erik van Lieshout (1968, Deurne, NL), in occasion of the Heineken Prize 2018 for Art and Sciences awarded by the Royal Academy of Art and Sciences.
“The jury for the Dr A.H. Heineken Prize for Art has praised Erik van Lieshout's work for its radical, personal and confrontational nature. In his unique, tragicomic style, Van Lieshout puts his finger on what ails society. His work never flags, continues to grow and is pure: he is not out to preach. He enters into dialogue with groups who others often give a wide berth: ghettodwellers, junkies, drifters, and right-wing or left-wing extremists. He raises questions about drugs, sex, violence and overregulation. There is no taboo or danger that Erik van Lieshout tries to avoid; on the contrary, he makes a beeline for them and tries to find a dialogue.” states the Jury Report of the Heineken Prize 2018.
As part of the grant, Erik van Lieshout decided to develop a new project that, in line with his practice, involves the production of a film encircled by collages of drawings and paintings and reflects on Heineken itself. The selection of works presented in The Bakery explores a more intimate, familiar side of the Heineken colossus. The many drawings realized during the film production often portrait Alfred Henry "Freddy" Heineken (1923-2002) himself, alone, with his daughter or with other family/colleagues, showing us the human face and relations behind the corporate façade.
More controversial issues are not avoided, as some of the drawings raise questions on Heineken’s expansionism, portraying Africa colonized by the emblematic red stars, one for each country where the beer is available on the market. Furthermore, triggered by the events that saw Mr. Heineken kidnapped in 1983, Van Lieshout depicts the room he was kept into as well as the police press conference at the time of his release.
The 3 minutes film has been especially made for the award ceremony last 27th September in Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ in Amsterdam. It serves as a manual to promote beer and already shows footage of the longer film which is still in the edit process. The scenes on the streets were shot during the Wiesbaden Biennale 2018 for which Van Lieshout was asked to develop a performance.