Gerlach en koop biography

The elusive sculptural and conceptual work of gerlach en koop involves modifying, displacing or copying ordinary objects with subtle, almost invisible gestures.

This approach begins with their name (always in lowercase): the moniker actually denotes two Dutch artists who prefer to be called a ‘collective artist’ rather than an ‘artist duo’ in order to distance themselves from their individual identities.

I visited their exhibition ‘Choses tuées’ (Killed Things) at de Appel arts centre a week after the news that the institution’s curator and director, Lorenzo Benedetti, had unexpectedly been fired by the board.

The dismissal came as a surprise to the Dutch art community, resulting in open letters and petitions in his defence. The news cast a shadow over the exhibition, where his curatorial hand was unmistakably visible.

Typical of Benedetti’s curatorial tenure, which in his 15-month directorship at de Appel has included shows by Michael Dean and Michael E.

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