Madé van Krimpen proudly presents Johnny, Klaas Rommelaere’s second solo exhibition at the gallery.
From 2020-2022, Rommelaere created an introspective textile world ‘Dark Uncles’ among which were giant dolls, directly referring to people from his immediate environment. Just like the tapestries, banners and pillars shown, the dolls are full of details embroidered in cross stitches. Those details refer to characters, memories and stories from Rommealere’s precious personal history. Together the dolls are ‘a remedy for forgetting’. Building on the heels of ‘Dark Uncles’, which delves into his personal family history, Rommelaere’s gaze shifts to the broader world with his latest project Johnny.
In February 2021, Rommelaere saw Adam Curtis’ documentary, “Can’t Get You Out of My Head: An Emotional History of the Modern World” (2021) which cinematic exploration of power structures and societal themes made a profound impression on Rommelaere. He found similar nihilistic undertones in Mike Leigh’s film “Naked” (1993), of which main character ‘Johnny’ became the genesis of his namesake project. In the “Johnny” series, Klaas combines impressions from these documentaries with his personal photos, creating a new visual narrative that incorporates his fears, such as snakes, alongside elements of comfort and encouragement, including references to nature, candles, and botanical beauty. Rommelaere embroiders ‘Chaos’ on several of his new works, as well as ‘react’, ‘reload’, ‘recharge’. And so the Johnny series becomes his highly personal attempt to create order out of chaos.
About artist
Klaas Rommelaere (°1986, Roeselare, Belgium) creates intricately embroidered tapestries and embroidered sculptures that bridge the personal and the collective. His work narrates his lived experiences and is filled with familiar images and symbols representing both real and imagined human connections. Each piece is a labor of time and love, emphasizing the significance of the human connection to the creation and consumption of art. Rommelaere collaborates closely with a group of skilled elderly craftswomen (‘The Madams’) to bring his ideas to life.
