Kris Martin: Exit

Kris Martin is internationally renowned for a rigorous conceptual practice in which he addresses existential questions with subtlety and wit. His sculptures, drawings, photographs and installations reflect his ongoing preoccupation with matters of human existence and its contradictions, raising questions about numerous concepts such as transience, identity and death. In his artworks, the Belgian artist often makes use of the readymade. Through subtle acts of displacement and with minimal intervention, he re-contextualizes familiar objects, infusing them with new meaning.
“Exit” establishes a subtle dialogue with the oeuvre of Jan Van Eyck. Martin is an admirer of the Van Eyck brothers’ work and shares their affinity for rich symbolism. His iconic work, “Altar”, takes inspiration from “The Ghent Altarpiece” (1432) and interprets it in a completely different way. Martin’s “Altar” is currently installed in front of St Bavo’s Cathedral, in celebration of the return of the Ghent altarpiece to the Cathedral.