The exhibition project Middle Gate II – The Story of Dymphna is a collaboration between M HKA (Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp) and the cultural centre de Werft in Geel. Middle Gate II is the follow up to the exhibition Middle Gate, curated by Jan Hoet in Geel in 2013. The exhibition concept is closely tied to the legend of the holy Dymphna, saint of the possessed, the mentally ill and patroness against epilepsy and insanity. The legend of Dymphna shares a strong connection to the identity of Geel, "the charitable city".

Ria Pacquée

© Ria Pacquée
Hats, 2011-2019
Projection , 00:04:18
Digital slideshow

In her later works, the artist concentrates on exploring public spaces, recording events with a camera from a particular point of view. She has developed her interests in rituals and the metaphysics of religious experience, anonymity, wandering around the city. Archiving sounds and images are also important methodologies in her work. The video Hats is part of the artist’s archival practice of wandering through different places, often geographically distant, recording various headgear; their cultural specifics, styles and colours. Hats is a specific image archive, an attempt to create a typographic study, a record of a journey, a registration made from a specific perspective focused on the movement of objects and forms.