According to Spinoza, our perception of reality is shaped by our individual point of perspective and the instruments we use to gain an understanding of it. When our perspective is limited or even dogmatic, we just grasp a limited part of reality. While true knowledge of our world is gained through active and continuous exchange of free thought.
Great art also challenges our perspective on the world. And it is no coincidence that many artists have been inspired by Spinoza, whose texts can be interpreted as a meditation on either rationalism or metaphysics, on either atheism or pantheism, on either democracy or totalitarism. ‘There is a Spinoza for everyone,’ writes Ian Buruma in his book Spinoza. Freedom’s Messiah. The artists in this exhibition touch upon a variety of Spinoza’s thoughts: from our interconnectnes with nature to the abolishment of the binary (of body and spirit, of genders, of nature and God).
With polarization and climate change looming over us, the philosophy of Spinoza is more relevant than ever. As Portuguese jews, Spinoza’s own family was religiously persecuted and had to flee to the Netherlands. Showing these works in Quetzal Art Center in Vidiguera, the birthplace of Spinoza’s father, is thus all the more special.
Artists in the exhibition (from Collection de Bruin-Heijn): Eylem Aladogan, Thiery de Cordier, Keith Edmier, Olafur Eliasson, Simon Fujiwara, Thomas Hirschhorn, Roni Horn, Job Koelewijn, Kinke Kooi, Tetsumi Kudo, Robert Longo, Cristina Lucas, Navid Nuur, Falke Pisano, Anri Sala and Fernando Sánchez Castillo.
Curated by Aveline de Bruin.
(Text: Anna Lillioja)
