A Distance of Two Seconds
curated by: Mia Milgrom, Natálie Kubíková
artists: Kateřina Vincourová, Sarah Bechter, Radek Brousil, Max Van Olffen, Tash Keddy
13.2. - 5.4. 2025
The exhibition A Distance of Two Seconds draws from the theoretical foundations of Max Weber, specifically his concept of the gradual loss of mystical and spiritual beliefs as a result of Enlightenment rationalism, which led to a transformation in the perception of time. This shift, as described by Weber, reflects a broader cultural transition from magical and religious views of time toward its rationalization and secularization. Through selected works, the exhibition seeks to recreate alternative approaches to perceiving time, returning to themes of intuition, mysticism, and repetition. It presents diverse perspectives, in which the exhibiting artists emphasize not only individual interpretations of time as a phenomenon but also materiality, its durability, and its shifting meanings within historical and cultural contexts. In this sense, time is not only examined as a linear, quantitative unit but is also captured in its emotional and symbolic dimensions. In a universal, yet deeply intimate play with gestures, symbols and histories, we are reminded of the ambiguity tied to the progression of time - its constant movement and, at the same time, its fragmentation and flattening within the modern world.
The title of the exhibition suggests a tension between two diametrically opposed perceptions of time. On one hand, there are time cycles that are part of natural, universal processes—cycles that transcend human experience and, in a certain sense, are eternal and dynamic, such as the changing of seasons or the cyclical movements of celestial bodies. On the other hand, we find ourselves in a space where time is constantly being shortened, simplified, and homogenized, particularly within the contemporary capitalist system, which demands continuous productivity and efficiency, thereby exerting constant pressure to compress time intervals.
Radek Brousil's installation titled Four Hands, explores how we experience contemporary asynchronous temporalities as an alienating intellectual condition—one that has rapidly spread across the world and shifted our perception of time, turning it into a grid against which work is measured, rather than letting work itself be the measure. Brousil’s technique of combining transfer printing and painting on stretched, unprimed burlap evokes the layering of time while remaining partially translucent, allowing us to see beyond individual surfaces. The series of paintings, exhibited in a circular arrangement, reminds us of the units on a clock that uniformly divide the day. At the same time, its monumentality and placement reference a clock tower—both mysterious and powerful.
Sarah Bechter’s ethereal paintings emulate architecture and bodies, often hinting at something hidden or missing. Through this absence, we are encouraged to become aware of our own subjective narratives and to distinguish between what we imagine when looking at a painting and what is truly there. As we spend time observing the canvases, hidden protagonists and objects gradually emerge, shifting our attention from the clearly visible to the subtle, intimate, and more private details. The mysterious, dreamlike quality of Bechter’s work stems from her intuitive process, in which figures and foregrounds emerge organically from the initial strokes and layers of paint.
Kateřina Vincourová presents an object titled Five Minutes, focusing on the linguistic universality and symbolism of time units. The object not only explores the specific meaning of this unit of time but also questions how similar linguistic constructs can transition between different cultural and linguistic contexts while maintaining their universal ability to express something fleeting and intangible. In her 2016 installation With Care, the artist represents different character traits using small succulents and ferns planted in mannequin heads. Through the plants, the individual heads come to life, becoming part of an ever-changing cycle of growth and aging.
In his practice, Tash Keddy explores the themes of memory and corporeality through scent and personal archives. The fragrance soaked object titled Domestic Erotics as well as the analogue photographs B, Insulindeweg, AH, Stadhouderskade and C & D, Mount Eden carefully stretched on disused frames, hold an aspect of a bodily, erotic wanting, a fleeting sense closeness. Iso-e-super, referred to as the anti-perfume, is a synthetic ingredient which doesn't form an individual note itself, but enhances the body's natural scent. As smell and emotion are stored as one memory, odors can stimulate the recollection of forgotten experiences and intense feelings of desire, grief and belonging. Smell is an integral part of the body but also separate from it, having a certain transcendental function that was widely used for ritual value, as a transition guide between worlds or a spiritual medium. Tash Keddy's works are re-enchanted with the world beyond empirical knowledge, one powered by subjectivity and the sacredness of the mundane.
Max Van Olffen, a Dutch artist and jeweler, is continuously interested in materiality as an archive. Through his research on Neolithic archaeological sites, he draws inspiration from bog bodies—remarkable examples of preservation due to the unique conditions of mud. The low-oxygen environment causes the skin of these bodies to become leathery, preserving it alongside other valuable objects and ritual sacrifices. Olffen’s wall objects partially resemble flesh, in a sense uniting people with the materials they commonly use and obsess over. His process of bleach printing from clay molds onto fabrics can be seen as another form of preservation, where materials imprint on one another and transfer some of their properties.