Catching Some Air is based on the investigation of archived and collected information (art history, history, journals, magazines, etc), thus creating a laboratory and reconstruction, and from this, an archive of a referential mix of material based on our own ideas, thoughts, knowledge of history, and the things that might interest us today.
The (endless) collection of images, events and works form a solid basis for our work. Reproducing or copying is based on choices that are closely intertwined with our art practice. Selections of material are collected and generally reproduced or copied by hand, all in the same format in order to achieve the highest 'neutrality' possible while the drawings also show clear differences in handwriting.
Copying is ambiguous: at the one hand it is numbing and automatic work, on the other hand it needs quite concentration while doing it, to think about what one is doing, and what the copied material is about. In other words, the almost meditative action of copying generates imagination and ideas, and improves knowledge and perhaps an understanding of others and other things through informally -because while doing the job- communicating the stories behind the material. The images transform into collectively, shared knowledge and memory.
Catching Some Air
Despite the increasing number of shows, biennials, museums, art centers, magazines, books, catalogues, and the internet, it seems to become more and more difficult to communicate all this information. This is the paradox of information: the total and overwhelming availability on all subjects, and on the other side the limited capacity of people to get to this information.
One can find oneself in a situation where everybody seems to tune in on slightly different channels and no one is able to communicate, since no one shares the same experience. Perhaps because of this, things might be 'invented' again and again, or used in another way than intended, for example because ideas or projects from the past become over commodified, objectified, taken for granted, or misused. Copying by hand could be a strategy against this.
For this installation we drew inspiration from the idea of Duchamp of making it harder instead of easier to see (the paintings...). He knew that 'making it harder to see the paintings would make us realize why we look at them.