Images by Tijs Vervecken
Once upon a time, in a galaxy far beyond our own, there existed an advanced extraterrestrial civilisation known as the Zoraxians. These beings were highly skilled in the arts and had a deep appreciation for creativity and beauty. One day, the Zoraxians decided to share their artistic talents with the beings of Earth. They crafted exquisite copper sculptures that resembled meteors and sent them hurtling through the vast expanse of space towards our planet.
As the meteors entered Earth's atmosphere, they glowed with a mesmerising copper hue, catching the attention of astronomers and art enthusiasts alike. A few of these meteors landed in the heart of Brussels, Belgium, right inside Objects with Narratives Gallery.
The directors of the gallery, were stunned by the arrival of the mysterious copper sculptures. They immediately recognized their otherworldly beauty and knew that it was a gift from beyond the stars. Word spread quickly about the extraordinary meteor-turned- sculptures, drawing crowds of curious onlookers and art aficionados to the gallery. People marvelled at the intricate details of the Zoraxian craftsmanship, marvelling at the alien technology that had brought these masterpieces to Earth.
As days turned into weeks, the copper sculptures became a symbol of unity and wonder, bringing people from all walks of life together to appreciate the beauty of the cosmos. The Zoraxians' gift had not only enriched the art world but had also sparked a newfound sense of awe and connection among humanity. And so, the extraterrestrial civilisation's gesture of sending meteors as copper sculptures to an art gallery in Brussels, Belgium, left a lasting impression on Earth, reminding us of the boundless creativity and artistry that exists beyond our own world.
Marius Ritiu
1984, Transylvania
His practice questions concepts such as nationhood, borders, and nationalism, reflecting on global responsibility, collective consciousness, and citizenship, and suggesting the potential for immensely varied human experiences to unite.
Instead of being celebrated, our differences are made into symbols and ideologies meant to divide; they are turned into borders. The perspective of those who’ve crossed a few is worth reflecting on and from, but he is the astronaut who is the true skeptic: no eye that looks ‘down’ on Earth from space can see such perverse dividing lines. Now, this outlook invites radical revisionism.
He's been working a lot with copper, copper being the physical material that connects the world. Its incorporation into technology (communication, transport) has enabled and increased the mobility of ideas, goods, and people, impacting the nature and physicality of borders. It has become important to his work for both its physical and philosophical characteristics. In the classical world, alchemy associated seven metals with the planets (silver/Moon, mercury/Mercury, copper/Venus, gold/Sun, iron/Mars, tin/Jupiter, lead/Saturn). As one of these materials, copper has a direct association both with human history and the cosmos. He is using a technique called Repoussé, which does not require a highly equipped studio; rather it is more of a nomadic technique that he can use wherever he goes, well-suited to his nomadic lifestyle.
His own experience as a travelling artist and an immigrant, continuing crossing borders and witnessing variations in culture, religion, nation, race– undoubtedly informs and anchors his practice. But what it more importantly grounds is the quest essential to his work to comprehend and express the global through the local, the universal through the particular, the familiar through the alien. He believes that we are all connected.
Featured Objects
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SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2023 - Go With the Flood, Slag/RX Gallery, Paris, BE
2021 - Is There Anybody Out There?, DMW Gallery, Antwerp, BE
2020 - Odysseus, Edition Populaire, Antwerp, BE
2020 - The Apocalypse (Sisyphus Part IV), Slag Gallery, New York, USA
2020 - Non-Ferrous Appetite, SAC, Bucharest, RO
2019 - The Alley of the Universe, DMW Gallery, Antwerp, BE
2019 - Highway to the Moon (Sisyphus part III), MOONSTREET Gallery, Antwerp, BE
2019 - Milky Way, Sisyphus Gallery, Antwerp, BE
2017 - The Tale of a Found Dimension, Slag Gallery, New York, USA
2015 - Venus Von Hamburg, Open Source Gallery, New York, USA
2014 - Eleven Thousandth of a Second Long Ride, Galerie Marion De Cannière, Antwerp, BE 2013 - Eleven
Thousandth of a Second Long Ride, project presentation (supported by ARTE TV France), The Clemente,
New York, US
2012 - Different Perspective “Contest/Exhibition”, Galerie Marion De Cannière, Antwerp, BE 2012 - DE
SOKKEL #3 - Kunstinterventie in het Antwerpse Stadspark, Middelheim Museum, Ant- werp, BE
2012 - Magic Carpet, project presentation at Slick Art Fair/Galerie Marion De Cannière, Brussels, BE
2011 - Mas(s) Moving, Galerie Marion De Cannière, Antwerp, BE
2011 - Stressing State, Trajector Art Fair/Galerie Marion De Cannière, Brussels, BE
2010 - How to Become Famous in One Month, Galerie Marion De Cannière, Antwerp, BE
AWARDS, GRANTS & FELLOWSHIPS
2022 - Kunsten en Erfgoed, Brussels, BE
2021 - Franconia Sculpture Park Fellowship, Minneapolis, USA 2021 - Ernest Albert Prize, Mechelen, BE
(nominee)
2020 - Kunsten en Erfgoed, Brussels, BE
2019 - Socrates Sculpture Park Fellowship, NYC, USA
2018 - Kunsten en Erfgoed, Brussels, BE 2017 - Kunsten en Erfgoed, Brussels, BE
2011 - ARTE/cutlog Prize for the project No Borders Equals Tolerance, presented during the cutlog Art
Fair, Bourse du Commerce, Paris, FR
COMMISIONS
2022 - Cathedral of Our Lady, Antwerp, BE
2018 - Vetis City Hall, Satu Mare, RO (public monument) 2016 - Thalie Art Foundation, Brussels, BE
2012 - DE SOKKEL #3, Middelheim Museum, Antwerp, BE 2012 - Tweespoor, De Warande, Turnhout, BE
RESIDENCIES
2023 - Arteventura, Aracena, ES
2022 - Cite Internationale des Arts, Paris, FR
2021 - Franconia Sculpture Park, Minneapolis, USA
2021 - Arteventura, Aracena, ES
2019 - Socrates Sculpture Park, NYC, USA
2018 - ISCP (International Studio & Curatorial Program), New York, USA 2017 - ISCP (International Studio &
Curatorial Program), New York, USA 2010 - Verbeke Foundation, Kemzeke, Belgium
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024 - Beaufort Triennial, Oostende, BE
2024 - Objects With Narratives Gallery, Brussels, BE
2023 - Burcht Malpertuus, CC Sint Niklaas, Sint Niklaas, BE
2023 - Vol-Ledig, Ysebaert Gallery, Sint Martens Latem, BE
2023 - Amare, Damme, BE
2022 - Finis Terrae, Antwerp, BE
2022 - Stealing Thunder, Barbe Urbain Gallery, Ghent, BE
2022 - Making Fun, De Warande, Turnhout, BE
2022 - The Most Sunny Hour of Your Night, TI-Pi Art Space, Ghent, BE
2022 - Stormloop, Herentals, BE
2021 - Return to Sender (Sisyphus Part VI), Franconia Sculpture Park, Minneapolis, US 2021 - Scapes,
Slag Gallery, New York, US
2021 - Orangerie, Het Paviljoen, Ghent, BE
2021 - Circus Gambit, Circus Studios, Antwerp, BE
2021 - I Am a Glitch in the System (Sisyphus Part V), Ballroom Projects, Antwerp, BE 2021 - Superstudio,
Antwerp, BE
2021 - Ernest Albert Prize, Mechelen, BE
2021 - Pacificaciestraat 13, Antwerp, BE
2019 - The Socrates Annual, Socrates Sculpture Park, New York, US
2019 - Deep Time, WARP Contemporary Art Platform, Sint Niklaas, BE
2018 - Festival des 5 saisons, Chaudefontaine, BE
2018 - P(ART)cours / Par(KUNST) Biennial, Brussels, BE
2017 - Verbeke Foundation, Kemzeke, BE
2017 - Independent Brussels, Slag Gallery, Brussels, BE
2016 - Volta Basel, Slag Gallery, Basel, CH
2016 - What are we building down there? Bucharest Biennale 7, RO
2016 - Ringland: A city is not a road, Bernaerts Auction House, Antwerp, BE
2016 - Tamango, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Bucharest, RO
2015 - Art Contest, De Markten, Brussels, BE
2015 - cutlog Paris, artists recommended by ARTE France, Paris, FR
2015 - Closer/ Dichterbij Festival, Zuiderpershuis, Antwerp, BE
2015 - 120 Minutes,curated by Frank Koolen & Lieven Segers, Art Brussels, BE
2015 - A Belgian Politician, Marion De Cannière Art Space, Antwerp, Belgium
2014 - Noli me tangere, Verbeke Foundation, Kemzeke, Belgium
2014 - The Patron of the Travellers, BORG Biennial, Antwerp, Belgium
2014 - Public Intimacy, Art Brussels/Galerie Marion De Cannière, Brussels, BE
2014 - Park + Ride, Verbeke Foundation, Kemzeke, Belgium
2013 - Reframe Festival, TAC, Eindhoven, NL
2013 - P.R.E.S.T.I.G.E., Plateau ROZIER, Ghent, BE
2012 - Sideways Festival, Turnhout, BE
2012 - Tweespoor, De Warande, Turnhout, Be
2012 - Twelve Thousandth Three Hundred Forty-Five , Verbeke Foundation, Kemzeke, Belgium 2011/2012
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024 - Beaufort Triennial, Oostende, BE
2024 - Objects With Narratives Gallery, Brussels, BE
2023 - Burcht Malpertuus, CC Sint Niklaas, Sint Niklaas, BE
2023 - Vol-Ledig, Ysebaert Gallery, Sint Martens Latem, BE
2023 - Amare, Damme, BE
2022 - Finis Terrae, Antwerp, BE
2022 - Stealing Thunder, Barbe Urbain Gallery, Ghent, BE
2022 - Making Fun, De Warande, Turnhout, BE
2022 - The Most Sunny Hour of Your Night, TI-Pi Art Space, Ghent, BE
2022 - Stormloop, Herentals, BE
2021 - Return to Sender (Sisyphus Part VI), Franconia Sculpture Park, Minneapolis, US 2021 - Scapes,
Slag Gallery, New York, US
2021 - Orangerie, Het Paviljoen, Ghent, BE
2021 - Circus Gambit, Circus Studios, Antwerp, BE
2021 - I Am a Glitch in the System (Sisyphus Part V), Ballroom Projects, Antwerp, BE 2021 - Superstudio,
Antwerp, BE
2021 - Ernest Albert Prize, Mechelen, BE
2021 - Pacificaciestraat 13, Antwerp, BE
2019 - The Socrates Annual, Socrates Sculpture Park, New York, US
2019 - Deep Time, WARP Contemporary Art Platform, Sint Niklaas, BE
2018 - Festival des 5 saisons, Chaudefontaine, BE
2018 - P(ART)cours / Par(KUNST) Biennial, Brussels, BE
2017 - Verbeke Foundation, Kemzeke, BE
2017 - Independent Brussels, Slag Gallery, Brussels, BE
2016 - Volta Basel, Slag Gallery, Basel, CH
2016 - What are we building down there? Bucharest Biennale 7, RO
2016 - Ringland: A city is not a road, Bernaerts Auction House, Antwerp, BE
2016 - Tamango, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Bucharest, RO
2015 - Art Contest, De Markten, Brussels, BE
2015 - cutlog Paris, artists recommended by ARTE France, Paris, FR
2015 - Closer/ Dichterbij Festival, Zuiderpershuis, Antwerp, BE
2015 - 120 Minutes,curated by Frank Koolen & Lieven Segers, Art Brussels, BE
2015 - A Belgian Politician, Marion De Cannière Art Space, Antwerp, Belgium
2014 - Noli me tangere, Verbeke Foundation, Kemzeke, Belgium
2014 - The Patron of the Travellers, BORG Biennial, Antwerp, Belgium
2014 - Public Intimacy, Art Brussels/Galerie Marion De Cannière, Brussels, BE
2014 - Park + Ride, Verbeke Foundation, Kemzeke, Belgium
2013 - Reframe Festival, TAC, Eindhoven, NL
2013 - P.R.E.S.T.I.G.E., Plateau ROZIER, Ghent, BE
2012 - Sideways Festival, Turnhout, BE
2012 - Tweespoor, De Warande, Turnhout, Be
2012 - Twelve Thousandth Three Hundred Forty-Five , Verbeke Foundation, Kemzeke, Belgium 2011/2012