With a lot of humor and a striking visual language, Wayne Horse uses his work to explore the ambivalent wealth of the West.
Wayne Horse is the alias of Willehad Eilers, who moved from Bremen to the Netherlands as a graffiti artist and has been working as a visual artist in Amsterdam for twenty years. Referencing popular culture, with a lot of humor and a striking visual language, Wayne Horse uses his large and expressive works to explore the ambivalent wealth of the West: desire, luxury, and their flipside.
About the exhibition
In the exhibition May all your dreams come true, Wayne Horse focuses thematically on the concept of the manageability of society. He says:
“Our society is obsessed with the idea of making your dream come true and living your dream life. In May all your dreams come true, I will engage with success coaching, all-inclusive vacations, religious cults, occupational religion, social media, celebrity cult, real desires, and the baggage that comes with them. My work is often perceived as critique, but I also try to show the positive sides. Care, friendship, and love are just as often subjects of my work as ignorance, selfishness, and greed. They simply blur and merge into each other. Dreams and hope are initially positive things that are encouraged. It is the circumstances in which they arise that contaminate them with dirt. This makes them an interesting subject for me.”
Willehad lets us see the world differently. He observes, marvels, and shares that amazement with us. His works show how things could also be: “Make your dreams come true, but not on Instagram.” Wayne Horse advocates for an open interpretation of his work, an approach that aligns well with how Concordia wants to explore art together with the audience. During the installation, which takes about a week, Wayne Horse engages with the public, allowing visitors to experience the creative process up close.
Guided meditation with art
Gill Bollegraf, the initiator of batterij in de binnenstad, created a guided meditation for one of Wayne Horse’s works. The meditation lasts 15 minutes, and the work remains in view the entire time. Click the video below to start the meditation.
More about batterij in de binnenstad
Program around the exhibition
- From Fri 4 Sept 2020 - kick-off at 16.30: installation of the exhibition by Wayne Horse - come by, meet the artist, and see the installation up close
- Fri 11 Sept 2020 16.30: opening of the exhibition
- Sun 4 Oct 2020: German-language tour as part of the Enschede event Die Tolle Woche
- Fri 9 Oct 2020: book presentation of a special publication related to the exhibition - with Studio KERN, Sasha Bogojev, and others
- Sun 22 Nov 2020: afternoon artist talk, live-stream
- Sun 22 Nov 2020: closing of the exhibition at our cinema with an introduction by Wayne Horse to the film he selected, C'est arrivé près de chez nous
These events, except for the film, are free to attend. There is a Pay What You Want system, where you can donate any amount. With your contribution, we pay the artists and can continue to offer exhibitions like this.
This exhibition is made possible with support from the Mondriaan Fonds.