Calin Dan
sony/wmf/pp. Trip. Sample City.
Three takes on Emotional Architecture
October 15 – December 17, 2006
Hours: Wed thru Sun, 12-5 pm
Stroom Den Haag
Hogewal 1-9
2514 HA The Hague, The Netherlands
T 31-70 3658985
info [at] stroom.nl
Over the past few years the Romanian-Dutch artist and theorist Calin Dan (1955) has identified a specific field of research, defined as Emotional Architecture, while developing a highly personal idiom where video and photography, next to text and music, play an important role. His recent presentation at the 15th Sydney Biennial, one of todays foremost international visual art events, forms the basis for his exhibition at Stroom Den Haag. Three video works – sony/wmf/pp, Trip and Sample City – will be shown together in The Netherlands for the very first time, with in addition a selection of other works.
Calin Dan focuses on the use, the experience, the meaning and the emotional value of architecture and urban environments. Until now he worked mainly on areas where totalitarian regimes had played an all important role, like Tallinn and Bucharest. These areas do not only reflect his background, but also inspire him because of the many conflict situations, which, even if less explicitly, generate dilemmas in the cities of Western Europe as well. Calin Dan views the city as an ever-changing equation of walls, private vs. public property, visions, relations and blind spots, continually in the process of self-denial and adjustment. Through his observations of the city, his explorations of neighborhoods, his contacts with dwellers and visitors, and through his research of traditions, Calin Dan developed an almost psychoanalytical way of looking at things. His work is an original blend of personal observations, folklore, historical facts and architectural analysis.
Over the past few years Calin Dan has participated in various prestigious exhibitions and international projects, like the Biennale Cuvée at O.K. Centre for Contemporary Art in Linz (Austria). In addition to being an artist Calin Dan is active as a curator and author. Just recently part 2 of the self-published book series Emotional Architecture was released, and will be available at Stroom during the exhibition.
The exhibition at Stroom is an introduction to a project he will realize about and on a location in The Hague next year.
Stroom Den Haag focuses on the urban environment from the viewpoint of visual arts, architecture, urban development and design.
