Is a space for artistic research, experimentation and imagination. Set up by Bartels in an attempt to articulate and enclose the fringes in the scope of her artistic practice. To explore the absurd, bizarre, boring and (un)usual fascinations at a certain point in time. To dive into the potential of fragmentary bits an pieces, creating analogies between
concepts, questions and ideas. Blurring fiction and reality, where nothing is what it seems and vice versa.
Serious play or playful seriousness.
Schmilblique derived from Schmilblick
The Schmilblick is an imaginary object created by the French humorist Pierre Dac during the 1950s. It is absolutely useless, and can therefore be used for anything, being rigorously entire. Pierre Dac himself credits the brothers Jules and Raphaël Fauderche with its invention.
The word quickly became very popular in French language and was sometimes used as a synonym for thing or stuff, or something designating a strange or unknown object. Nowadays, this word is frequently used to refer to some limited help provided by someone to solve a difficult problem. The idiom is actually 'Faire avancer le schmilblick' (To make the schmilblick move/get ahead, literally). Also, advancing a subject.
Ouvroir | Faire avancer le schmilblick
is a space for artistic research, experimentation and imagination. To explore the absurd, bizarre, boring, the (un)usual. To dive into the potential of fragmentary bits an pieces, creating analogies between concepts, questions and ideas. Blurring fiction and reality, where nothing is what it seems and vice versa. Serious play or playful seriousness.
Set up by Karin Bartels in an attempt to articulate and enclose the fringes in the scope of her artistic practice.
Website in Process
Everyone loses something sometimes, but few will call on Saint Anthony to find their object. Karin Bartels made a pilgrimage, a route along the places where 'the loss' took place, but also where abandoned items were found. A performative morning walk in memory of your lost glasses, glove, credit card or dentures.
"Bedevaart naar de vindplaats van de gevonden voorwerpen" loosely translates into Pilgrimage to the location where lost objects have been found.
About the paradox of a found lost object.
About traditions, rituals and customs that transcend religion.*
About the fascination for the infraordinairy. **
About the unintended migration of objects.
About the way subjective information and the micro level allow us to look at heedless and random locations in the city with new eyes.
* In Catholic circles, St. Antony is especially invoked and venerated as the patron saint for the recovery of lost items. the following words: 'Tony, Tony, come around, something’s lost and can’t be found.’ or 'Dear St. Anthony please come around something is lost and it cannot be found.'
Once the object has been found, one must thank Saint Anthony.
(In Dutch "Heilige Antonius, beste vrind, maak dat ik m'n ... vind" of "Heilige Antonius, lieve sint, zorg dat ik m'n ... vind" of "Sint Antonius, heilige man maak dat ik mijn ... vinden kan". )
** the French writer Georges Perec uses this neologism to describe the everyday that is neither ordinary nor extraordinary nor banal nor exotic.
Bedevaart naar de vindplaats van verloren voorwerpen, performative walk in public space, Once upon a town, Bureau Europa, Maastricht (NL)
Below excerpts of the research and materials for Bedevaart naar de vindplaats van de gevonden voorwerpen.
