Hans Op de Beeck's watercolor exhibition at Botanique prompts critical reflection on his artistic practice

Hans Op de Beeck presented a solo exhibition of watercolors at Botanique in Brussels, Belgium, in 2015. The show, reviewed in ArtReview's January & February 2015 issue, focused on works on paper created by the Belgian artist alone at night. Op de Beeck transformed the concert venue's exhibition hall into a darkened, grey-walled space with soft lighting and carpeting to evoke melancholia. Critics noted that these watercolors, depicting subjects like birds, seas, landscapes, and solitary figures, often relied on stereotypes without irony, bordering on banality or kitsch. While some pieces, such as 'Dress (2)' and 'Black Boots' from 2014, stood out, the overall display was seen as lacking originality and substance. The exhibition included an animated video, 'Night Time,' which reinforced themes of solitude. Op de Beeck is known for larger projects like immersive installations, sculptures, videos, novels, and set designs, including for Frédéric Flamand's production of Gluck's 1762 opera 'Orphée et Eurydice' and a play for Schauspiel in Frankfurt. The review questioned whether the watercolors would hold up in less atmospheric settings, highlighting their illustrative nature.