Behind these words — Annabelle

Behind these words, 2023
series of 10 enamels
sizes varying between 10 x 11 cm to 27 x 11 cm

Nature is at the mercy of change and sometimes unpredictability. Language is also fluid and not fixed. She flees fixed frames and a word or definition evokes a different image for every reader.

The recurring phrase “Behind these words" refers to the hidden spaces hidden behind every sentence and word, where space is created for the imaginary world that language helps us to imagine.

The cryptic messages whispered by a crow elude precise intelligibility, and the precise onset of winter remains elusive. It is within this uncertainty that nature's fertile soil has spawned timeless myths and fairy tales, often set in forests, mountains and meadows. Behind these words invites you to embrace the enigmatic wonders that lie hidden beneath the surface. In the depths of the ground beneath your feet, secrets teem, hidden from our understanding.

text by Imke Ruigrok