Picture this: Kristien Daem

The presentation of the work Tableaux by Kristien Daem is part of a series of creation assignments which the museum Dhondt-Dhaenens wishes to launch in 2010. In this way, the museum Dhondt-Dhaenens aims to become a partner in supporting the production, presentation, and distribution of particular art editions.

The Tableaux project brings together three photo series which Kristien Daem made in the period 2006—2008. She took a photograph of a pier on the Belgian coast every day at the same time and from the same position, over fourteen days. Tableaux I shows the pier in Blankenberge, Tableaux II is the pier in Ostend, and Tableaux III has the pier of Nieuwpoort as its subject. One day there is a clear sky, the next it is misty or gloomy, one day it is low tide, the next high tide, … A desolate and uncanny atmosphere pervades the images.

For the production of her video, Kristien Daem uses 14 photos of one of the piers. In a subtle way, the one image slides over the other. The changes in the light, the tides, and the water reflections are barely perceptible. In this way every series becomes a reflection on time and light, but also on memory and impermanence.

Aside from her video Tableaux I, Kristien Daem presents a series of nine offset prints which she selected from the three Tableaux series. The offset prints make up the Tableaux I,II,III edition which Kristien Daem made in collaboration with BeLa editions and MDD.