In Shift: Abstract Transformations Expanded, Buysse Gallery continues its exploration of the dynamic language of abstraction, delving deeper into the intersections of form, color, and materiality. Building on the foundation of the original exhibition, this expanded iteration introduces new works and perspectives, extending the dialogue across generations, mediums, and cultural contexts. With the addition of Chiharu Shiota, the exhibition gains an evocative dimension that intertwines abstraction with themes of memory, connection, and space.
The core of Shift remains anchored in the transformative potential of abstraction as a means of navigating human experience. The visceral, material-rich work of Bram Bogart continues to serve as a touchstone, embodying a raw engagement with the physicality of paint. The contemporary artists—including Cyrielle Gulacsy, Tom Van Puyvelde, and Lieven Deconinck—respond with practices that expand abstraction into optical and conceptual realms, creating works that challenge perception and invite introspection.
Chiharu Shiota’s inclusion introduces a profound spatial and emotional layer to the exhibition. Known for her immersive installations and intricate thread works, Shiota bridges abstraction with personal and collective memory. Her contributions echo Shift’s overarching theme of transformation by examining the threads that connect us—both physically and metaphorically—while redefining abstraction’s relationship with space and material.
In this expanded format, Shift explores new tensions between structure and fluidity, presence and absence, and the temporal and the timeless. Whether through Gulacsy’s luminous studies of light, Ojovan’s architectural forms, or Shiota’s ethereal web-like installations, each work pushes abstraction into uncharted territory, creating an evolving dialogue that resonates across cultures and generations.
With Shift: Abstract Transformations Expanded, Buysse Gallery reaffirms its commitment to fostering deep engagement with abstraction, offering audiences a fresh lens through which to experience its ongoing evolution. The exhibition invites visitors to traverse these expanded horizons and witness how abstraction continues to transform the way we see, feel, and understand the world.
