Pietà, Millefleurs: a solo exhibition by Rini Hurkmans from 13th September to 26th October 2024. Join us at the gallery for the festive opening on Friday, 13th September, from 5pm to 9pm.

The solo exhibition Pietà, Millefleurs by Rini Hurkmans at Lumen Travo Gallery explores contemporary ethical issues through art, focusing on themes such as absence, loss, ethics, and politics. Hurkmans’ exploration began during her residency at MoMA PS1 in 1992, when she acquired a press photo of Michelangelo’s Pietà, taken shortly after the sculpture was attacked in 1972. The image of the Pietà, in which a mother holds her deceased son, symbolises profound loss and raises questions about human interaction and ethical behaviour in the face of societal and environmental crises.

The exhibition also draws inspiration from La Dame à la Licorne, a series of six late 15th-century tapestries, characterised by the millefleurs style and symbolising the five senses and the heart. Hurkmans combines the delicate floral motifs of these tapestries with the theme of the Pietà to examine the disruption of human values and natural harmony. The exhibition features 55 woven works, inspired by white spring-blooming flowers, alongside sculptures, photographs, and video works. By weaving together historical and contemporary art, Hurkmans invites viewers to reflect on humanity and the environment, encouraging a reconsideration of our relationships with each other and the natural world.