About the exhibition

Johanna Martens lives and works on the edge of the forest in Sint-Joris-Weert. A psychologist by profession, she grew up in an artistic family and pursued additional studies at the Mechelen Academy of Fine Arts in the textile, glass, multidisciplinary, and project studios. Her multidisciplinary work originates from a strong intuitive and initially unconscious attraction to specific materials or objects—whether due to their shape, color, texture, tactility, or meaning. It resembles a kind of infatuation. From this starting point, she develops her own open and layered visual language, inviting viewers to freely interpret her work.

Her practice often contains autobiographical elements, yet she is equally engaged with contemporary societal issues such as animal welfare, migration, the pandemic, waste, and the cycle of damage and repair. She visually connects these themes with personal experiences, allowing materials, techniques, and content to evolve alongside her personal journey. The concepts of connection and transformation remain a continuous thread throughout her work. Johanna draws particular inspiration from the Japanese philosophies and practices of Wabi Sabi and Kintsugi, applying their principles to her material choices.

This exhibition finds its origin in an artist talk that took place at 22A Gallery. During this event, Johanna Martens had the opportunity to present and discuss her work. Our encounter with Johanna sparked a mutual fascination—we were deeply moved by her oeuvre, while she was intrigued by the scale and architecture of the exhibition space. Upon discovering that the venue is also used for yoga, meditation, and women's circles, she was inspired to develop the concept for her installation.

Johanna chose to create a room-spanning work composed of eleven circular compositions and a square. This layered interplay of forms resonates with the ritualistic nature of the space, enhancing the physical experience of the exhibition. To bring her vision to life, she decided to detach certain existing works from their original context and reinterpret them in an installation setting. For example, the series of small textile objects on display here were originally part of Toujours cette douceur, a piece reflecting her mother’s softness. These objects were designed to fit into the inner pockets of her mother’s woolen coat. The wooden pyramids originate from My Father’s Christmas Ornaments, a work inspired by the reflective objects her father crafted for the walnut tree in their garden—objects he referred to as ‘Christmas ornaments.’ Johanna translated this memory into similar sculptural forms, crafted from weathered cedar roof shingles from her home.

The central theme of this exhibition is tactility—more specifically, visual tactility. While the works possess a strong material presence, they must remain untouched during the exhibition, allowing them to eventually return to their original purpose.

As a lasting keepsake of this exhibition, Johanna created a series of twelve tactile multiples. These works are displayed in the passage leading to the exhibition space.