Flux | Ruta Butkute en Norman Dilworth

Bradwolff & Partners is proud to present Flux, an exhibition featuring works by Ruta Butkute and Norman Dilworth

Opening: 1 November, 17:00 – 19:00
Exhibition runs until 21 December 2024

Dialogue between the artists
The exhibition Flux brings together the works of Ruta Butkute and Norman Dilworth in a dialogue on the evolution of sculpture, with an emphasis on the dynamic interplay between materials, movement, and space. Both artists share a fascination with the essence of materials, creating works that transcend the tangible and invite a new dimension of experience.

Ruta Butkute
In her recent work, Butkute investigates how materials transform and reveal unexpected meanings. She combines ceramics, porcelain, and functional elements of iconic design furniture to create installations that suggest movement. Inspired by the philosopher Merleau-Ponty, who linked perception to the body, she explores how perception arises from the relationship between the body and its environment. Her performative installations invite movement: visitors are encouraged to navigate the space and engage in a dialogue with the sculptures. The result is an experience that is both intimate and collective.

Butkute pushes beyond the boundaries of traditional sculpture and installation art. Her works are far from static; they probe the threshold between the physical and the dynamic by entering into dialogue with performers. The unexpected plays a pivotal role here. She emphasizes the beauty of the imperfect and the ephemeral, demonstrating how transformation and movement can unlock new possibilities.

Norman Dilworth
Dilworth’s sculptures unfold a play of forms and spaces that invites the viewer to participate actively in the spatial experience. He explores the dynamic between abstraction and nature, with his geometric structures entering into conversation with their surroundings. This interaction between elements evokes new meanings and perspectives that expand the viewer’s perception and physical experience.

Dilworth often approaches his work through mathematical rules and principles. His pieces are deeply grounded in geometry, repetition, and systematic order. In doing so, he examines how we perceive forms and structures, creating works that are both visually compelling and intellectually rigorous. His process frequently foregrounds a balance between order and chaos, adhering to set rules while leaving room for variation and interpretation.

Together, the works of Ruta Butkute and Norman Dilworth create a space where transformation and discovery go hand in hand, and where the beauty of the imperfect takes center stage.

Bio
Ruta Butkute (b. 1984, Kaunas, Lithuania) lives and works in Amsterdam. She has exhibited at renowned institutions such as Kaaistudios in Brussels, Teruhiro Yanagihara Gallery in Osaka, and Museum Leuven in Belgium. Her work is held in collections including the Guldagergaard International Ceramic Center in Denmark, the Amsterdam UMC Art Collection, and the Europees Keramisch Werkcentrum (EKWC) in the Netherlands. She has also participated in prestigious residencies, including EKWC, Rosas P.A.R.T.S in Brussels, and the Arita Residency in Japan.

Norman Dilworth (b. 1931, Wigan, UK – d. 2023, Lille, France) was a leading figure in abstract art, renowned for his geometric sculptures that prompt viewer interaction. His work is held in prominent collections such as the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, Tate in London, and the Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo. Major exhibitions have included Pier + Ocean: Construction in the Art of the Seventies at the Hayward Gallery and the Kröller-Müller Museum, solo exhibitions at Swart Gallery en Art Affairs in Amsterdam, and a retrospective at the Musée Matisse in Le Cateau-Cambrésis. In 2019, he was awarded the "Peter C. Ruppert Prize for Concrete Art".