The launderette is not exactly the most aesthetic place in the world. In fact, most people don’t spend more time there than necessary. For visual artist Polly Pollet though, it is a place of inspiration. During Antwerp Art Weekend she transforms Gallery Dewael 15 into a reimagined launderette, offering a humorous and surprising perspective on a place we never really pay full attention to.
Laundry pods, fabric softeners, humming machines and cryptic washing instructions. Entering a launderette means entering a world with its own items, rules, and visual language. It is part of what attracted Polly Pollet in making it the focus of her newest solo exhibition:
“Where others see monotony, I see opportunity. True inspiration, for me, is often found in the little corners you don’t notice and the moments you overlook. A laundromat is one of those places - a place of waiting, too. During the idle moments you spend there, it can be a canvas for artistic expression. It’s in those moments of pause that I find the space to reflect and to create. After all, art is a sort of alchemy of perception, a twist that transforms the ordinary and translates it into visual poetry.” - Polly Pollet
The exhibition fits into a larger project, where Polly explores spaces that play a big role in our daily lives, but that never really spark much second thought. ‘Pollet Wasserette’ is the second part of this ongoing series. Her previous exhibition, ‘Polly Express – Into The Night’ saw her reclaiming a night shop in Brussels. The works on display there focused on the relationship between mass consumerism and our own guilty pleasures.
This time around, with ‘Pollet Wasserette’, she turns her attention towards the colorful packaging of laundry products, the rhythmical and cyclical patterns of the laundry machines, and the sheer amount of time that people spend in a launderette. The result is an exhibition that is both playful and contemplative, combining serious reflection with good-natured fun and artistic pleasure.
She found a willing partner-in-crime in Gallery Dewael 15, who were instantly
sold on the idea of transforming their space for the occasion. ‘Pollet Wasserette’ opens its doors during Antwerp Art Weekend, from May 16th to May 19th and stays open until the 16th of June.
You’re welcome during our inaugural washing cycle - we are sure you’ll come out refreshed (and possibly smelling a bit like lavender).
VERNISSAGE
16.05.2024 > 12.00 - 21.00
EXPO
16.05 — 16.06.2024
During ANTWERP ART WEEKEND
16.05 — 19.05.2024
At Gallery De Wael 15 Leopold De Waelstraat 15 / 2000 Antwerpen
