The Atavists

The exhibition "De Atavisten" by Tinus Vermeersch at Hopstreet Gallery, Brussels, explores themes of atavism, drawing on anthropological and folkloric traditions. Vermeersch employs historical materials and traditional craft techniques, returning to methods that have fallen out of use. This series of oil paintings on panel continues his exploration of a surreal universe, featuring evolving archetypes like the bird-man and transforming Tegumen forms. New floral and plant motifs emerge, merging into clusters in a cycle of growth and decay.

The work presents a fundamental tension between the recognizable and the unsettling, inviting viewers while remaining inscrutable. Vermeersch's anachronistic working method, using time-consuming, classical techniques, creates a visual language that is both archaic and contemporary. The title "De Atavists" refers to the figures in the anthropomorphic landscapes, potentially survivors or ancestors, and also to the artist's own process of returning to a primal source to reactivate and transform imagery.