COLOGNE.- Parrotta Contemporary Art opened its doors today to present "Timoria Time," an exhibition of new works by the acclaimed artist Pieter Laurens Mol. The exhibition, which runs until May 16th, 2025, takes its title from Mol's 1999 piece, "Timoria (The Third Moon of Mars)," and delves into the complex and enduring relationship between humanity and conflict.

At the heart of the exhibition lies Mol's continued exploration of the themes surrounding Mars, the Roman god of war. Historically, Mars was also associated with agriculture and the cycles of vegetation, a duality that informs the artist's perspective. The planet, which lends its name to the month of March and is linked to the metal iron, serves as a central point of inquiry into how a substance essential for both creation (tools) and destruction (weapons) reflects humanity's ambivalent relationship with war.

The exhibition subtly references the well-known biblical passage from Isaiah, "Swords into plowshares," a sentiment that resonated strongly in the 1980s as a call for global disarmament and peace. This quote encapsulates the inherent tension Mol examines. Adding another layer to this celestial exploration, Mol considers Mars' two moons, Phobos (fear) and Deimos (terror), named after the offspring of Mars and Venus. These relatively small, irregularly shaped moons, discovered in the 19th century, further underscore the themes of unease and conflict.

In a characteristically alchemical approach, Mol transforms found objects and language to create new meanings. A marcasite stone discovered in a field is christened "Timoria" (revenge) and designated as a fictitious third moon of Mars, a symbolic offspring of the god of war. This piece, "Timoria (The Third Moon of Mars)," is presented on a rusted iron base, a deliberate juxtaposition that blends the everyday with broader artistic and historical contexts, hinting at the influence of Duchamp's readymades and the tradition of Dutch landscape painting, a recurring undercurrent in Mol's oeuvre.

Further elaborating on his material language, Mol presents "The Third Martial Landscape," a work constructed from rusted steel. This piece depicts a harbor scene as viewed through a rust-red steel porthole, augmented with two ledges that extend the image into the viewer's space. In his own description, Mol highlights the specific materials: "steel sheet with an oxidized surface, a steel ball, a rust-colored photograph of a harbor in Scottish Aberdour, and two preserving jars, one containing rust pellets with iron oxide dust and the other fluffy thistle seeds."

Adopting the persona of a seafarer, Mol reflects on the "globe of violence" represented by a steel ball positioned on a nine-holed steel shelf (nine being Mars's symbolic number). This element prompts contemplation on potential defenses, such as throwing iron oxide dust or using thistle seeds as a natural barrier – stark reminders of the ever-present potential for conflict.

Through carefully considered arrangements of materials and evocative language, Pieter Laurens Mol's "Timoria Time" invites viewers to confront the pervasive nature of conflict in human experience. The exhibition seeks to explore the delicate balance of forces that shape our world, touching upon themes of mythology, celestial bodies, and the enduring questions surrounding humanity's relationship with war and peace.