Zeen

The exhibition draws the visitor into a sense of wonder at the things we encounter in daily life. In their studio, Scheltens & Abbenes analyse the essence of things by subjecting their anatomy to a meticulous and painstaking examination. Object come to life by lifting them from their everyday context, framing and zooming in on them, to thereby penetrate to their innermost core: a colourful powder patch, the sharp crease in a men’s shirt, rivets on a lorry. This is what the title of the exhibition refers to: ZEEN. This is a Dutch synonym for a tendon, which is a robust but pliable form of tissue that ties a muscle to the skeleton. This serves as a metaphor for how Scheltens & Abbenes zoom in on the inner dimension of an object’s body, and then tie this to a greater whole. It also refers to displaying the characteristic features of an object at a very detailed level. Lastly, the title is a play on the words Zien, (Maga)Zine and Zen, all of which refer to paying attention, to concentrating, to being sensitive to details – which are all important elements in the Scheltens & Abbenes oeuvre. Source: www.foam.org