NQ Gallery - Antwerp

Welcome to the world of Francis Vanhee, or rather, welcome to the fictional village of Francis Vanhee. Where a sheriff lives who bears a striking resemblance to writer and performer Christophe Vekeman, but where an actress currently playing a police officer in a Flemish television series is the real sheriff; where there’s a miniature version of the church of Aartrijke; where a nocturnal animal watcher searches for prey every night; and where a dictator rules. In short, the kind of village you absolutely do NOT want to live in.

In this new exhibition Nick brings together two series that explore the balance between nature, culture, and technology. With his Bonsai works, he merges the ancient tradition of miniature trees with futuristic, cyborg-like structures, imagining a dialogue between roots, circuits, branches, and metal. Alongside them, his Gongshi sculptures draw inspiration from Chinese ‘scholars’ stones,’ transforming their dreamlike forms into fluid shapes that play with mass and void. Together, these works pay homage to Asian traditions while opening them to contemporary interpretations, reflecting my ongoing search for harmony, transformation, and the reinvention of nature.