(EX)-MÊKH Takes Five

September 11 – October 11, 2009
n9 Stichting Ruimtevaart – Den Haag (NL)

Participants: Ellen Rodenberg, Maarten Schepers, Hans Ensink op Kemna, Kees Koomen
Guests: G.J. de Rook, Stijn Peeters, Roeland Langendoen, Machiel van Soest (part I-II-IV-V), Marieke Klop, Nies Vooijs, Barney de Krijger (part III – IV – V)
Commentary: Ineke van der Wal (texts linked under images of Ineke’s Textworks)
The wonderful graphic design for the project was done by Ben Faydherbe, whom we now consider our secret member.

Stichting Ruimtevaart in Den Haag invited the artist-collective (EX)-MÊKH to organize a constantly changing exhibition in their exhibition-space n9. The exhibition, could be visited five consecutive weekends. A number of musicians performed during opening hours. These are all musicians who work in the building, or who are in another way connected to Ruimtevaart,

The title of the project, (EX)-MÊKH Takes Five, refers to an expression in Jazz music to take a break during performances. Paul Desmond wrote the song Take Five referring to the pause to give the alto-saxophone player the opportunity to light a cigarette and listen to his fellow musicians during solos. In the same way, during the period that (EX)-MÊKH Takes Five takes place, participating artists get the opportunity to take a break and judge, comment and react on each others work.

The first weekend an exhibiton was installed by Kees Koomen, Ellen Rodenberg and guest-artists they invited. (EX)-MÊKH-members Hans Ensink op Kemna and Maarten Schepers added visual reactions to this exhibition for the second weekend. For the third weekend Hans Ensink op Kemna and Maarten Schepers assembled an exhibition with guest-artists they invited. Ellen Rodenberg and Kees Koomen formulated a visual reactions for the fourth weekend. Finally, improvising with their work and the guest-artists, using the “call-and-answer”-principle originating from slave songs, (EX)-MÊKH lead the project to a finale in the fifth weekend. Now the sum of everything that happened before lead to an impressive final chord. During this extensive jam-session engagement of the participants was vital to make the project work!

EX-MÊKH Takes Five, Part I

Kees Koomen and Ellen Rodenberg curated the first exhibitio. They invited G.J. de Rook, Stijn Peeters, Roeland Langendoen and Machiel van Soest to join them as guests.

_{Foreground: Kees Koomen – video
background: Stijn Peeters}

_{Kees Koomen: Of You, Me and the River}

_{Kees Koomen: Of You, Me and the River – detail}

EX-MÊKH Takes Five, Part II

For this edition Hans Ensink op Kemna and Maarten Schepers commented on the first exhibition.

_{Written comments on the wall by Ineke van der Wal}

_{Front: Ellen Rodenberg, right: Hans Ensink op Kemna – reaction
Back: Kees Koomen}

_{Back: Hans Ensink op Kemna – reaction, front: Ellen Rodenberg
back: Stijn Peeters}

_{back: Ellen Rodenberg, right: Hans Ensink op Kemna – reaction}

_{Left: Hans Ensink op Kemna – reaction,
back: Stijn peeters}

_{Left: Maarten Schepers – reaction, right: Machiel van Soest}

_{Front: Ellen Rodenberg, back: Stijn Peeters}

_{End performance part II: Musicians Paul Klaui, Jan Borchers, video Ellen Rodenberg}

EX-MÊKH Takes Five, Part III

Maarten Schepers and Hans Ensink op Kemna curated the third edition of EX-MÊKH Takes Five the exhibition. They invited Nies Vooijs, Marieke Klop, Roeland Langendoen and Barney de Krijger

_{Back: Hans Ensink op Kemna, front: Marieke Klop}

_{Back: Hans Ensink op Kemna}, _{Front: Nies Vooijs}

_{Front: Nies Vooijs, back: Maarten Schepers}

EX-MÊKH Takes Five, part IV

Kees Koomen and Ellen Rodenberg commented on EX-MÊKH Takes Five Part III by adding their works to the exhibition. Machiel van Soest also sneaked in a painting.

_{Back: Kees Koomen-reacting, right: Hans Ensink op Kemna front: Ellen Rodenberg – reacting}

_{Left: Ellen Rodenberg – reacting, back: Hans Ensink op Kemna, front: Nies Vooijs, right: Marieke Klop}

_{Left: Kees Koomen – reacting, middle: Marieke Klop}

Front: Ellen Rodenberg reacting, back: Roeland Langendoen

_{Kees Koomen reacting: from left to right Machiel van Soest, Ellen Rodenberg, Kees Koomen (video), Roeland Langendoen}

_{Above: Kees Koomen reacting, back: Barney de Krijger}

_{Left: Ellen Rodenberg reacting, right: Maarten Schepers}

_{Left: Ellen rodenberg, back: Hans Ensink op Kemna, front: Nies Vooijs}

Left: Maarten Schepers, right: Kees Koomen

_{left: Ellen Rodenberg, middel: Kees Koomen – Personae II (video)}

EX-MÊKH Takes Five, Part V

In the fifth and last edition of EX-MÊKH Takes Five all members of EX-MÊKH and their guests join in for a festive weekend in which everyone takes part in an inspired improvisation.