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Item: Places (III.5)

2006

Sculpture, 130 x 78 x 1.5 cm.
Materials: galvanized steel

Collection: Collection M HKA, Antwerp (Inv. no. BK7587).

Throughout the series *Places*, Vercruysse uses the universally recognizable symbols of playing cards. For the third group of works within the series, of which *Places (III.5)* is part, Vercruysse designed a usable, legible script based on the card symbols. These works carry actual textual inscriptions, and seem strikingly communicative in the context of Vercruysse's otherwise enigmatic oeuvre. Nonetheless, *Places (III.5)* does not lend itself to a quick reading either. A transcription to our own alphabet leaves us with the text "I AM" on the left panel, and "Here / -- / AND IS" on the right; cryptic, poetic texts with minimal concrete content. They clearly reflect Vercruysse's past as a writer and visual poet, but provide few clues for further interpretation. Again, it is not about the content of the words, but about the possibility of content the words provide.

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Jan Vercruysse
From the mid-1970s, Jan Vercruysse (1948-2018) takes to the museum space with abstract collages, installations and assemblages that primarily

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Places (II.8)
Jan Vercruysse, Places (II.8), 2006. Sculpture, cor-ten steel, 300 x 285 x 2 cm.

About M HKA / Mission Statement

The M HKA is a museum for contemporary art, film and visual culture in its widest sense. It is an open place of encounter for art, artists and the public. The M HKA aspires to play a leading role in Flanders and to extend its international profile by building upon Antwerp's avant-garde tradition. The M HKA bridges the relationship between artistic questions and wider societal issues, between the international and the regional, artists and public, tradition and innovation, reflection and presentation. Central here is the museum's collection with its ongoing acquisitions, as well as related areas of management and research.

About M HKA Ensembles

The M HKA Ensembles represent our first steps towards initiating the public to today's art-related digital landscape. With the help of these new media, our aim is to offer our artworks a better and fuller array of support for their presentation and public understanding.