Sam Ballet x Dirk De Cock
Enter the Void
05.11 > 16.12.23
extended until 23.12.23
Sam Ballet, Untitled, 2023, coloured pencils on paper, 15,5 x1 9,5cm
Dirk De Cock - Story Table, 2022, Oil on canvas, 70 x 80 cm
Under the title ‘Enter the Void,’ Sam Ballet and Dirk De Cock present their first exhibition at the Michèle Schoonjans Gallery in Brussels.
‘Enter the Void’ : Where the Worlds of Sam Ballet and Dirk De Cock converge
The work of Sam Ballet and Dirk De Cock exhibits some intriguing unmistakable similarities. Both artists bring a strong imagination to their work, and their creations have something mysterious and even ‘uncanny.’ However, their approaches are quite different. While Sam Ballet starts from a personal dream world, Dirk De Cock ventures into open spaces and landscapes.
Sam Ballet’s drawings are often small, dark, and intense. They resemble miniature sets suitable for a film or theater performance. Sam invites the viewer to come closer and discover details for themselves. The viewer is drawn into a personal, mysterious dream world filled with unexpected events. Although these scenes may appear idyllic at first glance, closer inspection reveals that this is not the case. The atmosphere becomes ominous and claustrophobic, and melancholy and nihilism are never far away. The medium Sam uses, simple coloured pencils and paper, is a perfect fit for his work.
Dirk De Cock draws from the collective memory. In contrast to the detailed work of Sam Ballet, Dirk De Cock’s paintings are often of a straightforward nature. Large open spaces serve as a backdrop for simple scenes. Details are absent, and the landscapes and scenes are recognisable but far from realistic. The composition is static, and the atmosphere is changeable. The viewer here is more of an observer and stands outside the action. They look at a snapshot and do not know whether everything has already passed or is yet to come.
It is precisely this approach that makes Dirk De Cock’s work so special. Although the work of Sam Ballet and Dirk De Cock is very different, they share romance, melancholy, and a sense of emptiness.
‘Enter the Void’ is an invitation to a unique experience.”
