On Saturday 24 October between 14:00 – 19:00 international art center OpenArtExchange in the museum quarter at Hoogstraat 85, opens its doors for the solo exhibition ‘CTRL+S’. This new body of work created over the past few years, with paintings, collages, textile works and an installation, shows the world according to Laftmonk,  visual artist, designer and social art practitioner. 

In connection with the Corona measures, there will be a walk-in afternoon during which you are more than welcome to visit the exhibition and our permanent collection with a snack and a drink at a safe distance in one direction. Outdoor seating is available should we exceed the maximum number of visitors during peak times. However, we expect that with the current 450 m2 exhibition space, we will have sufficient capacity available to handle the walk-in properly. The exhibition will run until December 6. 

CTRL+S 

In “CTRL+S” Laftmonk plays with the different techniques and styles she has mastered over the years in her latest study on social identities ID#. Complex geometrical textile webbing techniques fuse with painting, photography and collage, resulting in subdued surrealistic psychological portraits influenced amongst others by Francis Bacon as well as more colorful abstract images with streaks of street art and intricate textile sculptures and installation. She seamlessly mixes all to build the synthesis of ideas and concepts that have been revolving in her oeuvre about this new world emerging around us. This world is fragile and disintegrated, in constant transformation, desperately in need of protection. It’s seen through human or insect eyes with estranged shreds of reality, hidden in veiled layers. Her world is populated with displaced people, shifted identities, endangered exotic species, struggling to re–find their balance with each other and an endangered environment, yet beautiful in its layered fragility, precious and full of hope to be saved.    

Born and raised in France from Algerian descent, educated in France and US, Laftmonks work has been shown internationally in renowned museums and galleries, amongst which the Museum of Art and Industry André-Diligent in France; Cheongju Art Center, Korea; De Cordova Museum, Massachusettes; Santa Fe Art institute, New Mexico; Blue Star Contemporary, Texas and The Old Mint, San Francisco CA. Her work can be found in private collections internationally including Los Angeles, Washington, New York, San Francisco, London and Paris.