Vogels tussen decor en werkelijkheid
In the work of Hans van Asch, birds find themselves in carefully constructed worlds. They appear as iconic figures, as part of an open situation, or as protagonists in a small anecdote.
Sometimes the bird assumes an almost solemn position, for example on a pedestal or within an architectural frame. At the same time, it remains a real animal that does not always conform to its surroundings. In other works, something seems to be happening without the image revealing exactly what. The bird can wait, look, arrive, or depart, creating space for a story that the viewer can shape.
Hans van Asch (Dordrecht, 1964) works as a visual artist using photography as a medium. The environments in his images are conceived and controlled, whereas the bird brings chance, behavior, and a presence of its own. This tension between control and freedom forms the core of his work.
'Birds between Scenery and Reality' can be seen from October 4, 2026 to January 3, 2027.
From December 11, 2026, to March 7, 2027, Gallery Untitled presents the solo exhibition 'Empty Stages', featuring two rooms of new work by Hans van Asch. In it, live garden birds appear in abandoned architectures, inspired by the Late Gothic and Early Renaissance. The birds temporarily take the place of saints, angels, and other sacred figures, thus giving new life to spaces that have lost their original meaning.
All dates
From 4 October to 3 January 2027
Want to read more news?
Read more tips, background stories and news about Rotterdam.
Something different?
See what else there is to do in Rotterdam.
