WASSENAAR.- Saturday 19 February saw the opening of a large retrospective exhibition of Beat Zoderer (1955) at museum Voorlinden. The Swiss artist is known for his colorful and often humorous objects, installations, and sculptures, made of materials that he finds at DIY shops and office supply stores. The artist offers a contemporary answer to earlier art movements, including constructivism. Zoderer’s solo exhibition is on view until 15 May 2022.

The works of art by Beat Zoderer often seem complicated structures, built up according to a certain method. But if you look more closely, you cannot discover a mathematical formula or a particular form of repetition; it is pure randomness with which Zoderer has created the work. The use of everyday materials, the obvious imperfections in the end result and the space within the work invite you to follow the artist’s instincts, to see how he has constructed the work of art. Thanks to these clear traces of the creative process, the creativity radiates back to you, and you experience countless ways in which you can also use these materials. In this way, Zoderer deconstructs and revitalises abstract geometric and constructive art and places it in a human and feasible perspective.

Beat Zoderer: ‘The poetry of a work lies within thinking "I could do this too". Poetry lies beyond the surface.’

Colorful cosmos

Zoderer lets everyday materials determine his framework, but seeks the maximum freedom within it. He follows his intuition and lets the idea come to him in the execution. With this largely spontaneous creative process, Zoderer attempts to create order out of chaos. In Switzerland, Zoderer is one of the most prominent artists thanks to his contemporary interpretation of constructivism. Museum Voorlinden has also had Zoderer's work in its collection for years. Yet the Netherlands has yet to discover the contemporary constructivist and this solo exhibition will help with that. Until 15 May 2022, Voorlinden offers a fascinating overview of Zoderer’s colorful and extensive oeuvre, from large, overwhelming installations and complex, playful sculptures to small, intimate objects that only make you long for more.

Director Suzanne Swarts: ‘The genius of Beat Zoderer is that his work is within reach but also unattainable. It is art that you want to copy, while knowing that you will never succeed in accomplishing the same effect.’