OpZicht: Stefan Bandalac

23 March - 23 May 2017
Location: Hogewal 1-9, The Hague
Open:
Monday - Friday, 11-5 pm; Saturday - Sunday, 12-5 pm
Closed: Easter Sunday and Monday (16 & 17 April)

OpZicht is a presentation space in the lobby of Stroom Den Haag for newly registered artists from The Hague. The wall unit functions as a stand or platform where the artist can share his or her work, passion or interest with the audience. Each presentation runs for approximately 7 weeks.
Archive OpZicht presentations 2013-present

Stefan Bandalac (1987) was born in Bucharest, Romania where he graduated from the National University of Arts with a BFA and MFA in photography and video art. He is currently living and working in The Hague, where he finished the Master's program of the ArtScience Interfaculty of the Royal Academy of Art and the Royal Conservatoire The Hague.

Stefan is a multidisciplinary artist who uses video and installations in his artistic practice. His current research focuses on the use of radioactive materials and radioactivity as a medium. With an upbringing loyal to conceptual art, his work is characterized by a variety of themes, ranging from the visual exploration of myths to poetic overtones and references, sometimes with political connotations. As a firm believer in the power of images, sound and objects, he carefully crafts his pieces by combining clean lines with disarray and beauty with destruction. His pieces unapologetically warrant a reaction from the viewer, with the purpose to elicit reflection on the subject.

For his presentation in Stroom Den Haag's Opzicht program Stefan created a site-specific video installation composed of two new video works: Wanderer and Reflections No. 1.

In any artist's practice there comes a time for introspection, when questioning yourself, your direction, motivation and role become a daily burden. "What now?", "Where to?" are mantras that make the artist feel vulnerable, but that can also be a healthy way to re-evaluate oneself.

Wanderer is a multi-channel video installation re-enacting Friedrich Caspar David's famous romantic painting Wanderer above the sea of fog. A powerful and iconic image, the painting has been interpreted as representing a gaze into the unknown future, a portrayal of human beings questioning their place in the world. The setting chosen for the film (the beach of Scheveningen) has a deep significance for the artist, it is where he has been living for the last years.

The second video work, Reflections No.1, is a collection of thoughts and quotes gathered over the past few years. The texts are set to a background composed of idyllic images, not unlike postcards with moving images, that are sometimes in stark contrast with their content.

Through his installation Stefan aims to turn the OpZicht space into a place for reflection on the position, the condition and the direction of the newly registered emerging professional artist.

Wanderer, 2017

Multi-channel video installation (color, 20' loop)

Reflections No. 1, 2017
Single channel video (color, 3 minutes)

www.stefanbandalac.com

OpZicht: Stefan Bandalac, 'Wanderer', 2017
photo: Myung Feyen, courtesy Stroom Den Haag
OpZicht: Stefan Bandalac, 'Reflections No. 1', 2017
photo: Myung Feyen, courtesy Stroom Den Haag
OpZicht: Stefan Bandalac, 'Reflections No. 1', 2017
photo: Myung Feyen, courtesy Stroom Den Haag