Hannah Black's 'The Directions' at Vleeshal Center for Contemporary Art Maps Creative Class Crisis
At the Vleeshal Center for Contemporary Art in Middelburg, Hannah Black's exhibition 'The Directions' explores the precarious financial situation faced by Europe's creative professionals amid militarized late capitalism. The installation comprises a labyrinth of metal beams and plasterboard, featuring absent walls and floors, and showcases three videos filmed in New York, London, and Marseille/Montfort. It also displays works from the BKR Municipal Collection Middelburg and images depicting the destruction of Middelburg during WWII. A potted cypress tree labeled 'wrong world' serves as a symbol of existence and mortality. Above, replicas of celestial bodies reflect their positions on 7 October 2023, connecting to the Palestinian liberation struggle. The exhibition is open until 13 April 2025 and was critiqued by Taylor LeMelle in ArtReview's April 2025 edition.
Key facts
- Hannah Black's exhibition 'The Directions' is on view at Vleeshal Center for Contemporary Art in Middelburg
- The exhibition explores financial precarity in Europe's creative class under militarized late capitalism
- Installation includes a maze-like structure with missing walls and floors creating dead ends
- Three videos feature starry nights with voiceovers from New York, London, and Marseille/Montfort
- Works from the BKR Municipal Collection Middelburg (1949-1987) are incorporated
- Photographs show Middelburg's destruction during World War II
- Celestial bodies are arranged to match their positions on 7 October 2023
- Exhibition runs through 13 April 2025
Entities
Artists
- Hannah Black
- Taylor LeMelle
Institutions
- Vleeshal Center for Contemporary Art
- BKR Municipal Collection Middelburg
- ArtReview
Locations
- Middelburg
- Netherlands
- New York
- London
- Marseille
- Montfort
- Europe
- Palestine