Kobe van den Hauwe
About the artist
Kobe van den Hauwe is convinced of the power of humour, which is far too often underestimated. His work centres on playfulness, irony and absurdity. His practice explores how humour can be both light and sharp and critical at once. Masks are an important, recurring theme in this, the path by which his absurd world creeps into ours.
Kobe van den Hauwe (2003) lives in Antwerp. He earned his master's in Visual Arts at Sint Lucas, Antwerp.
Starting point of the work
In 't Zonneke is an evocative shop with letterboxes, door handles and other metalwork in every shape and size. Doors can separate, hide or shield things from one another. At the same time, they can stand for connection, a passage, an encounter. That tension, between closing off and connecting, formed the starting point for this work.
“Doors can separate, hide or shield things from one another. Or they stand for connection, a passage, an encounter. That tension…”
In ’t Zonneke
Around 1885, hardware shop In 't Zonneke settled on this spot in Antwerp. The name refers to the sun that once hung above the shop as a signboard. Inside, it's a feast for the eyes. Door knobs, handles, fittings and small parts fill cabinets, drawers and display cases. The owner and her specialised staff know the shop through and through. A true nook-and-cranny of a shop.