Annet Gelink Gallery proudly presents Internet and Elvis will never die, her first solo exhibition by Dick Verdult. In a world eager for answers, Verdult's work easily intimidates. But exactly by cherishing the question, Verdult's work opens up a different way of thinking, encompassing a reality where the truth constantly turns.

 

Due to his father's work for a multinational, Verdult travelled the world. Before his 20th birthday Verdult had already moved 20 times over, living in countries as divergent as Guatemala, Argentina, South Africa and France. This global, fragmentary lifestyle determines and is part of his rhizomatic practice as an artist. As an anthropologist of his own culture Verdult carefully selects elements from different cultures, displaying them in unusual and surprising juxtapositions. One could say that his work is not so much made up from objects, but from relations created between different people and materials. Interaction becomes form.

 

In Verdult's universe one does not travel from A to B, everything happens all the time and simultaneously. With the current exhibition Internet and Elvis will never die the white cube is transformed into an environment of light, movement and sound - bringing together different works, furniture, lamps, a fridge and multiple projection devices. Verdult calls the exhibition his third aviary (the first and second being In the name of Antwan (Van Abbemuseum, 2011) and Was Li Arbey Oswal pregnant? (Arti & Amicitae, 2013)). In Verdult's perception an aviary is "an artificial volume that suggests peace, logic and hierarchy to the one looking in from outside". Stepping inside the aviary "the perspective flips immediately and pleasantly". The aviary thus creates a situation whereby each viewer can take a different selection out of the existing elements to create his own poetic composition.

 

Verdult has produced many independent films, worked as a filmmaker and editor for VPRO television, in addition to founding several art groups, including the IBW (Instituut voor Betaalbare Waanzin (Institute for Affordable Lunacy)) and Festicumex, a festival for a non-existent music genre. With ease, Verdult flits from large scale collaborations to working as an independent artist. Next to this, Dick Verdult is also a musician. Under the name Dick El Demasiado he released his first CD in 2002 and he has since become, through his performances, albums and concerts, a cult figure in Latin American music, well known in lands as far afield as Russia and Japan for his Cumbias Lunaticas and Experimentales.

 

In Internet and Elvis will never die Verdult offers us a means to weave sense with poetry and Internet with Elvis.

 

Dick Verdult (Eindhoven, 1954) studied from 1973-77 at Université Paris VIII Vincennes, departments Film and, Plastic Arts in Paris. Recently, he had an extensive solo-exhibition at the Van Abbemuseum (2011-2012). He represented the Netherlands in Gwangju Biennale 2012, and he is preparing for an exhibition at the end of this year at Museo El Chopo in Mexico.