Phenomena 0.1 at WONDER

Elders also presented the video MX ចម្លាាក់់ (MX Sculpture) by Brussels artist Xavier Mary, and the Curator Machine (with artworks by Adem Elahel, Anonymous critique, Collective Unconscious 3D, Janne Schimmel, Loulou João and Walter Wauthieu) as a prelude to Phenomena, a group exhibition that will take place in spring 2024 at a unique location next to the river Lys.

Simon Hampikian (°1998, Bordeaux) is a French designer and artist.

Focused on carefully thought objects from raw and second-hand materials, the vision of this versatile creative is street oriented. Simon uses his observations on his surroundings and plays with the connection between outside and inside spaces to rethink discarded shapes and materials into handcrafted objects.

The installation is inspired by functional objects such as fences, used to enclose or protect, but remains open and takes on a format in between furniture and sculptural pieces. The organic material of the wood, with its cracks and imperfections contrasts with the system used to build them, inspired by the modularity of sandbox games like Minecraft, where users build entire worlds with simple elements.

Working with video, drawing and software, Rotterdam-based artist Yara Veloso (°1993, Lisbon) looks into the (dis)comfort that arises when humanity and technology meet. Occupied with language and its structuring of our perception, she explores how thought-processes are rewired through the fusion between mankind and computers. She considers technology as an extension of our senses, not just running parallel to the physical world, but exceedingly intertwined with it.

These large steel structures translate drawings into the space, obstructing and rearranging our viewing of reality – in this case, the exhibition. Placed in between the rooms, they mirror that strange feeling technology gives us – that we’re neither here nor there, and constantly trying to grasp the truth amongst the chaos. The fabric prints contain ima- gery sourced from the archive of Texture – museum van vlas en textiel, Google Patents, personal collections and assorted found instructional illustrations.

Nicolas Zanoni’s (°1995, Paris) practice is based on an in-depth research process, which leads him to create unique objects shaped by careful listening to materials. He adopts a thoughtful approach, focusing primarily on the production process he uses to bring his creations to life.

Nicolas Zanoni began designing his shapes leading to a curve, a weave. This allowed him to control the dimensions, both functional and parametric and add an ornamental characteristic to his design. He was inspired by his surroundings, seeking to create a collection that reflected his perception of Kortrijk: old religious buildings from medieval times, metal and mesh were symbols of resistance, particularly influencing his work.

In a foundry the aluminum was casted around the contours of the weave, reinforcing its structure. The sand-casting process is challenging in terms of shape control and the molten metal contracted around the meshes.

As a “work in progress”, Nicolas presents the objects without removing the excess material. On the pieces, he has sketched the future work, giving us the chance to imagine the evolution. Later, the objects will be carefully reworked. The austerity of the raw aluminum will become a thin, cut layer. This transformation is as a metaphor for improvement, corresponding to the theme of the residency and the upcoming exhibition: Phenomena.

Pictures by Dieter Van Caneghem