Winnie Claessens is looking for ways to evoke reality from scale models. Her models are silent. We are drawn to them and even have the feeling that we are in that place for a moment. A church or a perilous expedition to the polar region: people go far in search of a sublime experience for a certain conviction. Despite the beauty, the places feel desolate. Once the group that carries the project no longer exists, the interest fades and we see only remnants of past glory.

The charming reality that Claessens depicts is, on closer inspection, merely a façade behind which lurks a sense of loneliness and sadness. We want to retain our autonomy, but we also have a need for solidarity, to support each other or share things. There is no support, no boundaries and no pillars to search for our identity. What can we aim for together? Is there a common goal to strive for?

Artists: Winnie Claessens