Willem de Rooij: Ebb Rains

Overview

It's not every day that Brisbane pips Australia's other capitals in the art stakes — and when it does, it's worth paying attention to the exhibition in question. Taking over the Institute of Modern Art from February 11 to March 25, Ebb Rains marks the country's first-ever solo showcase for artist and educator Willem de Rooij.

The Berlin-based Dutch creative has exhibited everywhere from the nations he was both born and lives in, to France, the UK and the USA. Now, it's our turn. And, if you're wondering why — other than the talent on display in his pieces, of course — then just think about the concept of expansion.

Ebb Rains contemplates these kinds of forces in a number of ways: first and foremost, by pondering the Dutch presence in the Asia-Pacific region throughout history. It also ruminates upon the ways that interventions can take place in the natural world, adding an extra layer. And then, there's de Rooij's work itself. Featuring two large-scale textiles created in response to the topic, as well as a collection of others, his output demonstrates his growing, evolving, intensifying body of art.

Image: Willem de Rooij, Blue to Black (120 x 550 cm, batik hand-printed fabric, 2012). Installation view, Hollandaise, Raw Material Company, Dakar, 2013. Courtesy the artist and Galerie Chantal Crousel, Paris.