Exhibition — Sep 10 until Nov 27, 2016

This autumn, the Stedelijk presents the first Dutch museum solo of Magali Reus. 

Magali Reus presents Mustard, a new series of sculptures configured into a site-specific installation. This series of works was developed in her London studio over the past year. By using complex techniques to process a variety of synthetic materials alongside fabrics and leather, Reus has created sculptural forms that avoid direct references to existing objects but still evoke associations with saddles, motorcycles, or blankets. Her enlargement of (animal) forms contains elements of camp and the grotesque, imbueing the works with both a strongly physical and simultaneously unsettling presence. their complex material composition and exuberant ornamentation repurpose decorative impulse into something that on first inspection appears functional or utilitarian.

Through this use of seemingly everyday objects and images, Reus’ work initially evokes a sense of familiarity. it is upon closer scrutiny that the hidden complexity of her works unfolds. Reus adopts an almost obsessive approach of layering and repetition of visual elements, with a resultant crisis of definition that leads to her works to emerge as more personified or simply abstract entities.

Magali Reus (The Hague, 1981) studied at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam, Goldsmiths College in London, and the Rijksakademie in Amsterdam. in 2015 she was awarded the Prix de Rome, the oldest prize for promising artists in the Netherlands.

Publication

A publication on Magali Reus’ work will appear alongside the exhibition in October 2016 as part of JRP|Ringier’s “First Monographs” series, and will feature contributions from the art critic Kirsty Bell, writer Andrew Durbin and artist Liam Gillick.

More info

STEDELIJK CONTEMPORARY

The Stedelijk Museum continuously presents dynamic solo exhibitions by a young generation of artists. Many of these are new productions and recent purchases that tie in with the museum’s acquisitions policy. The Stedelijk seeks to respond to current events and stimulate contemporary talent by, in some cases, also taking on the position of commissioner. Its commitment to developing lasting relationships with young artists shapes the future identity of the museum’s collection.

The realization is made possible in part with the financial support of the Mondriaan Fund.

The Stedelijk Contemporary presentations in 2016 and 2017 are made possible in part by Ammodo.