United We: gerlach en koop

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gerlach en koop are two persons who gave up the habit of writing their proper name with a capital letter, in order to merge into one collective artist. They are not restricted to a specific medium or material, but use what seems appropriate, or try to use an apparent inappropriateness to their advantage.
 
Repetition plays a key role in the work of gerlach en koop. They focus their attention on the differences between things that at first impression appear to be similar. The smaller the difference, the more interesting it is. Sometimes the difference can only be thought of. Much of the work exists in twos, but it is not always about duality. When something can be repeated once, it can usually also be repeated three, four or five times.
 
Collaboration yields more than the sum of its parts, at least that is commonly thought, but the work of gerlach en koop shows that 1+1 sometimes just equals 1.
 
In the exhibition they show existing, new and selected works. The Two Pages from 2010 consists of an unopened pack of copying paper of which the wrapping has been copied onto the fivehundred sheets of a second pack that has subsequently been rewrapped.

The title reminds one of an old and well-known magic trick: an assistant is locked inside a box; under loud lamentations the box is sawn in two; the two half-boxes are positioned like two pedestals, like two platforms (or tombstones); a large cloth is being waved over them accompanied by some unintelligible murmuring and, behold: this single assistant appears not to have been halved, but miraculouslydoubled, just like the exclusive pearl necklace that someone in the audience hung around the assistant's neck at the start of the performance.
www.gebr-genk.nl

On invitation by gerlach en koop a work by Pratchaya Phinthong has also been included in the exhibition.

 

gerlach en koop, Untitled, 2013, concrete, 835 × 650 × 9,7 cm
photo: Kristien Daem

gerlach en koop, The Two Pages, 2010
photo: Kristien Daem

gerlach en koop, The Two Pages, 2010, 29,9 x 21,2 x 5,5 cm and 29,9 x 21,2 x 5,7-5,9 cm
photo: Kristien Daem

Pratchaya Phinthong (invited by gerlach en koop), 'Demonstrations'
photo: Kristien Daem

design: Thonik, Amsterdam

gerlach en koop, Are we off? We're off, 2010, three unmade shirts, three shirt boxes, ceder cones and a cube from mdf
photo: Kristien Daem

gerlach en koop, Lessened space, 2010, two telescoped office desks
photo: Kristien Daem

gerlach en koop, Concessions? Never make any, 2007, straigtened paperclip, tape
photo: courtesy the artists