In 1970, renowned American artist John Baldessari (1931-2020) taught a course at CalArts where he asked students to “imitate Baldessari in actions and speech” and “create art from our procedures of learning. How does an infant learn?” Such assignments spark the question: in what ways do artists learn from one another? We might find one answer to this question in Bildhalle Amsterdam recent collaboration with Harper’s Bazaar NL. Together, they unveil an exhibition titled I See You – 14 Artists in a Dialogue. Seven selected artists have invited a fellow creative they admire to showcase their work alongside. Images speak to one another against the white gallery walls. Established and emerging talent come together to present works across disciplines, from ceramics and photography to painting and textiles. The title – I See You – indicates appreciation and connection. These can be words of acknowledgement and admiration. On the one hand, they reflect the emotional and spatial relationship between creative practitioners. Beyond this, itls a gentle nod to the strong partnership between Miluska van t‘ Lam and Mirjam Cavegn, the editor-in-chief and founder of Harper’s Bazaar Nl and Bildhalle, respectively. On a more profound level, the name speaks to the connection between viewer and artwork. We gaze into the frame; the artist looks back.
Abstract work invites the viewer to make their own interpretations of what they are seeing. We experience this in the work of Barcelona-based photography duo Albarrán Cabrera, who have chosen to pair their work with that of British artist Richard Caldicott (b. 1962). Since 1996, Anna Cabrera (b. 1969) and Ángel Albarrán (b. 1969) have collaborated to create images that “trigger subconscious associations in viewers based on their memories.” One of their striking pieces on display is Polarised #55451 (2024). At first glance, it’s difficult to ascertain what you’re looking at. Blue, green, turquoise and teal bleed and blend into shades of amber, crimson and purple. After looking for a while, we might see a loop of highly refractive material positioned on top of a reflective surface. This mesmerising shot is positioned next to Caldicott’s equally enthralling C-Print, Combination (1996). Compared with the vibrant colour of the former, this piece is much simpler to grasp visually. Concentric green and white circles – made from ordinary plastic containers – expand from a central point. After a while, the piece feels like looking deep into an iris. The effect is soothing in its simplicity. Albarrán Cabrera look back on their first time encountering Caldicott’s images and state: “His innovative approach to photography opened our eyes to the medium’s potential for creative expression. This style of work suggests that photography, through its interplay with light, time and chance, can create images that challenge conventional perceptions and interpretation.”
Photographers also remove colour entirely to create striking monochromatic pieces. Elsewhere in the exhibition, Dutch image-maker Bastiaan Woudt (b. 1987) has drawn inspiration from Amsterdam-based artist Nanda Hagenaars (b. 1988). He states: “I chose the work of Nanda Hagenaars because it resonates with what I find beautiful, extraordinary and fascinating about photography. As a great admirer of black and white photography, I appreciate that Nanda, like me, works exclusively in this medium.” Both portraitists evoke the complex emotions of their subjects through striking colourless compositions. A woman peers out from behind a curtain in Woudt’s Show (2022). The fabric obscures most of her face so that we only see her eyes, cheekbone and slender fingers. By contrast, Hagenaars uses an entire hand to block our view of the figure’s features in Reinvention (2022). Only her mouth and nose show through the gap left in the space between someone else’s index finger and thumb, which are pinched together.
I See You is a show where artists get to demonstrate their love for those who have inspired their own creative journeys. It’s beautiful to see the similarities and differences. There are instances where it is clear to see exactly what drew one artist to another, such as Woudt and Hagenaar’s mutual love for black-and-white photography. Elsewhere, the influence is a bit more subtle. Albarrán Cabrera “challenge conventional perceptions and interpretation” in their own unique way. Interviewers often ask artists for their inspirations. This show is an opportunity to meet those all-important influences. I See You is a strong start to what will become a series of exhibitions that foster cultural exchange between the Netherlands and Switzerland, following the opening of Bildhalle Amsterdam in 2020. The next stop for I See You will be the Zurich gallery. It’s a continuation of the show’s central theme of collaboration, dialogue and exchange.
Bildhalle Amsterdam, I See You – 14 Artists in a Dialogue | Until 19 October
Words: Diana Bestwish Tetteh
Image Credits:
- Show, 2022, Archival pigment print on Innova Baryta paper © Bastiaan Woudt, Courtesy of Bildhalle.
- Polarized #55451, 2024, Pigments on Japanese paper and gold leaf © Albarrán Cabrera, Courtesy of Bildhalle.
- Combination Green, 1996, C-Print © Richard Caldicott, Courtesy of Bildhalle.
- Show, 2022, Archival pigment print on Innova Baryta paper © Bastiaan Woudt, Courtesy of Bildhalle.
- Reinvention, 2022, Fine art Baryta Hahnemühle © Nanda Hagenaars, Courtesy of Bildhalle.