Peter Morrens
Point Blank Press, 1998-2022
Ink on paper, framed
Various dimensions
Unique drawing, in a series of 12 variations
This series is part of an ongoing series entitled Point Blank Press. This is a direct language agency, with Peter Morrens as its only employee. Writer Ed Krcma calls Peter Morrens ‘an auditory flycatcher’: he catches words and phrases he hears when he’s on the train, in a café, on the street, while reading, etc. Sometimes these are bold and strange, sometimes light-hearted and humorous, at other times completely banal. These Dutch, French, English and German words and phrases are written down on the pages of old school exercise books. The strict structure of these pages (with pre-printed grids and lines on which to write) contrasts sharply with the rough, undisciplined and clumsy way in which Peter Morrens sets down his texts. For Peter Morrens, these text works are drawings, by the way, and so language errors simply remain. For: ‘there are no language errors in drawings’, according to the artist.
Fully in line with Morrens’ practice, occasionally some phrases recur in a different form. There are two or three versions of Ik zal eens goed komen lachen met uw expositie (I will come and have a good laugh at your exhibition) for example. This is a unique moment in this Point Blank Press, as this is the first time an actual series develops within the series. In preparation of his recent Billboard Series, Morrens made various new versions of de die die blijven, de die die gaan (those who are staying, those who are leaving). And when discussing the idea of this series of drawings, he made some more variations. The series of 12 variations of de die die blijven, de die die gaan that is presented here, combines drawings from these three periods.
