Han Hoogerbrugge
Tent / Rotterdams platform voor hedendaagse kunst
28.1.-18.3.12
Animations, videos
The retrospective exhibition of Han Hoogerbrugge show a lot of different animations, some with the artist as the protagonist.
Somehow I feel transported back to the good old days of the hand-painted slapstick cartoons, especially when I meet the first two screens of familiar figures all rushing onwards without getting anywhere. Just like they used to spin on the spot before the speeded off, these figures are stuck in their time.
La Grande Fête des Voyeurs
In the large hall several protagonists are behaving like cartoon figures, but in a slightly different way. They are going to extremes to get your attention. They may act weird, or even hurt themselves, constantly repeated, just to be seen.
Han Hoogerbrugge: Karaoke
The artist is ready to follow your command. If I command him through the microphone provided, he makes a move. It seems like he gives all control to me. But not fully control. I may not be sure how he responds to your commands. And he seems to do it unwillingly. Come to think of it, who is actually controlling who here? On the screen is only a computer animation, but it makes me walk up to the microphone and utter silly commands. Actually I am the karaoke performer, not the artist.
Han Hoogerbrugge: Overlast/Nuisance
In many situations it is easy to be annoyed by other people's behaviour. Sometimes you let them know, just to set an example. But most of the time you try to ignore or tolerate it. Han Hoogerbrugge has found a way to let that aggression out: through animation. In several scenes people are behaving badly, without any though of their surroundings. The protagonist attacks them in full rage, grabbing the arm of the commercial delivery boy, shouting at the loud speakers and so on. He is doing what we would not dare to do. In the end he is destroyed by his own rage. Probably not an example to follow.
