The modern pilgrimage of a contemporary artist

Can you describe the exhibition Hell on Earth from a sensory perspective? 

The whole exhibition is one immersive multimedia installation, consisting of sculptures, neon lights, painted wall textiles, musical instruments, sound installations, written manifests, candles, etc. There’s an overload of sensory impressions, both visual and sonic. There are small corridors you can enter, like portals, and throughout the space there are strange characters with dismembered limbs, almost like torn-up figures from a bizarre story.

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What thematic elements did you pick up from the exhibition? 

There’s so much going on, it’s almost like you’re on a ritualistic pilgrimage. You’d have to spend a long time in the exhibition to truly grasp all meanings and intentions. There are strong religious elements, like fake stained glass windows. It almost feels like Joris Van de Moortel is portraying his modern path of suffering. Maybe it’s a self-portrait of some sort? The exhibition has so much content that you have to filter out what’s important to you as a viewer. Perhaps that’s good enough — to read it in your way. For me, it feels like he is offering an alternative system, like a new religion or a way to engage with the world.

There’s so much going on [in the exhibition], it’s almost like you’re on a ritualistic pilgrimage

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The artist's universe reminds me of your studio. There’s a similar explosion of materials, media, altars, images of yourself, etc. Do you agree? 

[laughs] I see! Even though the exhibition might seem chaotic, I think it’s like a hard drive of his brain, his way of organising the world. Joris doesn’t make distinctions between media — whether it’s painting, video, or music, he engages with it all at once. That is a very human act. No one is only one part of their identity; we all exist as a web of identities. I connect with the idea that there isn’t one medium to express yourself, it makes art feel less removed from everyday life. Maybe that’s why I always want to do a thousand different things, my studio looks like an explosion of everything, etc. It’s all part of that ever-evolving hard drive that is me.

Joris Van de Moortel doesn’t make distinctions between media — whether it’s painting, video, or music, he engages with it all at once

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It seems that he is pursuing an almost utopian worldview by incorporating religion, activism and history into his work. Is that something you can relate to?

The world demands a lot from us. One cannot choose to not deal with it. Some people focus on one thing as a coping mechanism, Joris dives into the chaos to reflect on it. That’s a bold move. Artists like Isa Genzken and Martin Kippenberger do the same, I admire that. Very few people can keep up with the speed and complexity of today’s world. It’s almost impossible unless you constantly question it.

I look at the world in a very visual way and quickly feel overwhelmed by it. It often leaves me confused. This confusion is present in my work. I’ve been struggling with how to define myself as an artist in the past few years. For now, I think the best answer is that I make things. That could be a desk for my atelier, or a poster for an event. More recently, I’ve been making music with other people.

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How has your journey as an artist been so far? 

I studied painting at LUCA School of Arts in Ghent. During my master’s programme, I shifted towards multiple media to give expression to my ideas. That same year I shared a studio with Tobin Verdonck. I had never met someone so honest and intuitive in his art practice. It inspired me greatly. We started making visual work together, later we moved toward music as we both share a deep connection with it. We form a dj-duo called r.d.p.t.v. Simon Joostens and I make and perform music as Rimov/Rimov. I mostly sing. Simon does almost everything else. The moment I discovered my voice in front of an audience, I realised that this was a medium in which I could no longer hide. The direct exchange between performer and spectator is sometimes uncomfortable but, above all, super powerful.

The moment I discovered my voice in front of an audience, I realised that this was a medium in which I could no longer hide

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For now, I’ve found a sense of fulfilment in these music projects. At some point, the visual aspect will probably become part of my practice again. I see a lot of things passing by that I don’t agree with. I’m still figuring out how I can deal with those things differently. Joris’ hypersensitive approach to art, transforming chaos into expression, definitely resonates with me.

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