On MÊKH-beach

October 10 – 13, 2024 – Athens (GR)

view central hall Platforms Project 2024
Introduction

When we were invited for  Platforms Project 2024 the three of us felt the urge to make an installation together. We started thinking about it by making a big drawing on a horizontal plane in Ellen’s studio which we liked very much. During talks thereafter we developed the concept of a beach-shore with waves rolling over and around it. For this to work we tried out a model in a space we measured out in the studio for which we used firm carton. This did the trick. Maarten had created a small model which looked inspiring so we organised the project and left for Greece in october!

Drawing by EX-MÊKH in anticipation of the fair. It ended up on the leaflet we had printed
Model for the booth at Platforms Project 2024
Try out for the waves at our beach
Concept On MÊKH-Beach

This presentation at Platforms Project 2024 is based on our desire to make one installation together again. For this project EX-MÊKH was inspired by the late works of painter Philip Guston and his wife Musa McKim who was painter and poet. The image of the sea on which personal images and texts wash up inspires us. It seems to be an interesting theme to create an installation for this occasion. It will be a beach which changes into a beautiful mirror of our daily life in Athens. The installation will develop during the fair on a background we will create during preparation time. At the opening of the fair the image will start empty and it will build up organically from the moment the fair starts. For it we will use elements we encounter during our stay and which may also consist of memories or reflections  which pop up automatically when you are far from home. Painted images and found objects will appear on this beach and text-fragments will cross the imagery like mist wisps.

We expect walks in Athens will inspire us. We thought of taking the Levantine city into the fair before. In the above written concept we think it will be possible to each express the city and our personal sentiments about it in a nuanced way, also doing justice to our personal relationships.

Text from the accompanying leaflet.

on MÊKH-beach at the start of the fair
First additions Ellen Rodenberg – Maarten Schepers
First additions Kees Koomen
on MÊKH-beach day 2
detail Ellen Rodenberg
Detail Ellen Rodenberg evolving
Kees Koomen: Sky – text from Greek diary 1993
Kees Koomen: Sky text from Meshullam da Piera (Girona 13th AC)
Details – Maarten Schepers: Jellyfish, shrub
Ellen Rodenberg: ant
Detail – Maarten Schepers: Sea creature
Kees Koomen – Sun
Front – Textwork Kees Koomen:
Athens seems weary in fall
Detail – Ellen Rodenberg: drawing
Detail: Ellen rodenberg – Maarten Schepers
Left side installation
Right side installation
Details installation
Details installation
Installation in the beginning of the last day
At the beginning of the fair Kees Koomen was interviewed by ArtVolt
Download the ArtVolt-app and scan the QR code to see the interview
Reversal of the Tide

On the last day of Platforms Project 2024 we organised Reversal of the Tide: we offered the works we put into the beach-scene to the public at reasonable prices. Earlier Ellen Rodenburg asked people to cut out their foot in carton and to decorate that foot. Some of those were also on sale. A number of people amongst whom Artemis Potamianou, director of the fair, gallery-owners, volunteers of the fair and parents of the kids who decorated their feet bought small works and took it with them.

A proud volunteer with one of Maarten’s Jellyfish
Allessandra Falbo (Darling Pearls fom London) and Topp (or Dubio from the reknowned Topp and Dubio) also went for the jellyfish
Maarten and one of the volunteers
And Elllen Rodenberg sold a little ant
A happy guide
More ants were sold
And this girl came by to get her foot-drawing
Guillaume Krick of Le Bureau d’Art et de Recherche from Roubaix (FR) goes for Kees Koomen’s peace sun ray