Enrique marty: de profundis - Cathedral of Our Lady, Antwerp

KETELEER GALLERY is very pleased to present De Profundis, a solo exhibition by renowned artist Enrique Marty (°1969. Salamanca, SP) in the Cathedral of Our Lady, Antwerp. The exhibition consists of an entirely new series of paintings that were made especially for the cathedral.

A profound exploration of human nature and a deep connection with art history lie at the base of Enrique Marty’s three decade long artistic pursuit. The first art book Marty read as a young child was a book about Rubens. On the first pages it spoke of the cathedral of Antwerp and the Rubens works that were hanging there. This first encounter with art unleashed a lifelong obsession for both Rubens’ work as for the awe inspiring cathedral. With this exhibition it is not only an honour to be able to exhibit works alongside Rubens, but also a personal milestone in the artist’s artistic career.

Marty’s current artistic journey originated in this early fascination with the cathedral, a place that, to him, embodies the essence of a complete work of art, a place where architecture, painting, sculpture, installation and more join to form a wonderous whole. With conscious humility and deep respect for the cathedral’s legacy, Marty strives for his creations to have a meaningful dialogue, while subtly harmonising, with the environment.

The new series of paintings is an homage to the building blocks of the cathedral. He integrates figures that refer to classical works that are on display at the cathedral and animates the space with birds and other animals that have sprung to life out of the magnificent pulpit that is once again growing and thriving as an oak tree. Marty also emphasises the play of light, to him a key element in these sacred spaces. He channels the captivating interplay of natural glass, stained glass windows, candles and spot lights to create twelve powerful works.

The depicted scenes take place in recognisable spots in the cathedral and thus allow the works, just like the two polychrome statues, to position themselves as objects of contemplation, inviting the visitors to introspection and reflection. De Profundis wants to encourage the visitors to immerse themselves into the depths of the cathedral’s beauty and to surrender to the lasting impressions it leaves on our/everyone’s memories.