Nick Doyle
Nick Doyle is keenly aware of the legacy of the American notion of Manifest Destiny. Known best for sculptural wall works made from collaged denim, Doyle infiltrates the vocabulary of Americana to examine greed, excess, and toxic masculinity. Doyle uses the road trip—a pillar of American mythology—as a point of entry to his work in order to question the persistence of Rugged Individualism as the fabric of our national identity. Through a series of mechanical miniatures, theatrical scenery, and satirical prop-like denim works, the artist foregrounds the dangers of nostalgia and our evolving relationship to consumerism. Seemingly innocuous, Doyle’s imagery—vending machine, typewriter, cigarette pack—and materials—indigo and cotton—tell a story of American colonialism and consumerism, as well as explore the influence of media on global trade systems. By employing materials that hold cultural significance, the artist both reflects on and critiques social and political agendas that are often at play in contemporary life and visual culture.
Artist-led guided tour with Nick Doyle
Uptown - Gallery
Rue du Prince Albert 4, 1050 Ixelles
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Stems Gallery is an emerging gallery based in Brussels and Paris. The gallery opened in 2015 by sister and brother Pascaline and Guillaume Smets.
The gallery exhibits the work of emerging artists, with a particular focus on introducing contemporary American artists to European audiences. Highlighting works in all mediums and formats, including painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, video, and installation, the gallery’s program is driven by intuition and curiosity rather than any rigidly defined criteria.
Each exhibition is the result of a close collaboration between the gallery and the artist or curator, allowing artists to communicate their individual creative visions and to witness the energy and dynamism of the Belgian art scene. Also, offering them an international recognition by the participation in various important fairs.
In October 2020 Stems moved to a new location in a historical building in the heart of Brussels, in the former cantine of the Solvay laboratories. Most recently, Stems Gallery opened a new location at 11 rue Pastourelle in the heart of the Marais in Paris inaugurated with a solo show by French-American artist Pharaoh Kakudji “Tear A Part, Torn A Part”.