Between affection and desire

How to achieve happiness? Out of this existential question comes the theme of the exhibit "Tales of Happiness", at the Loods 6 Bagagehal, in Amsterdam. The show features new works by Eleonora Stol, also known as "La Roja", and three video installations of Eduard Kortbeek and Marcellus Slaib which brings a surrealistic touch to the show. 

Passion is the main theme of the works created by Eleonora, which she develops in a very peculiar way with her vibrant colours. Her characters express feelings of freedom that could be perceived by the movements she has given to them, creating  naked bodies with such sinuous lines. It  is possible to read in her painting some love letters or other texts copied to canvas, which La Roja has collected over time.  Representations of hybrid beasts half animal, half human reoccur throughout her work, depicting the darker side of love. Vanity of the female form is illustrated with high heels and red lipstick as a suggestion of power and seduction. Breasts, pots and vases are created in Eleonora's painting as a symbol of fertility as well as motherhood. While she paints, it is as if she is writing a real story set anywhere from Amsterdam, Ibiza, or some other place on Earth, because in her work she assumes  pleasure could be  everywhere, since this is the road to happiness.

On the other hand we find romance (almost dream-like) in the video installations created by Kortbeek and Slaib. They have worked together for the past twenty-five years as designers. For the very first time they take the ambitious step of working in the field of new technologies, in order to present three tales: Crying Rose, Crazy Bride and Zig-zag Girl. They bring language to their work making a connection between the characters and the outdoors, where the audience is. The vision they build of the feminine universe conducts the narrative towards both real and virtual sides. The dramatic configuration is reinforced by the lighting of each of these areas. In all of the three works the characters find themselves in circumstances in which  flowers help them to achieve what they are looking for. 

The exposition room is composed of a big gallery, which has two rows of columns in its architecture, where Eleonora's works are displayed on the walls, while the video installations are in the central area. This set design tempts the visitor to walk in the two universes presented by the exhibit: affection and desire, feelings which can be perceived in several pictorial moments in this show, as a way of finding moments of happiness.

Marco Antonio Teobaldo

curator