Jenkin Van Zyl’s exhibition Lost Property will open in June 2025 at ARoS’ new Salling Gallery. This installation explores themes of identity and transformation through an immersive experience set in a bureaucratic landscape. Supported by various foundations, it will run until May 2026, contributing to ARoS’ artistic expansion.
The Salling Gallery at ARoS, Aarhus, is set to open with an exhibition titled Lost Property by Jenkin Van Zyl, debuting in June 2025. This will mark the gallery’s first major exhibition in its new subterranean space, dedicated to unique contemporary art commissions. Van Zyl, a London-based artist born in 1993, is known for his multifaceted approach that blends film, performance, writing, and sculpture. His works often delve into imagined communities navigating eccentric spaces, like stunt cowboys or rats engaged in competitive dancing.
Van Zyl’s installation for ARoS, titled The Lost Property Bureau, will immerse visitors into a peculiar bureaucratic setting where characters seek their long-lost doppelgängers. With a looping narrative, the film follows three protagonists through peculiar administrative hurdles, leading them to transformative experiences. The piece, supported by a community of queer performers and musicians, offers commentary on current societal insecurities and the potential for change through embracing one’s own complexities.
Within the gallery, audiences will walk through a vivid setup resembling an abandoned London street, culminating in a lavender-lit screening room. Visitors will also encounter whimsical weathervanes depicting the film’s characters, perpetually searching for a sense of direction. In the artist’s words, “Lost Property speaks to our time, where reality often feels like a fever dream… This work attempts to reflect on how we can rethink ourselves in chaotic times.”
Rebecca Matthews, ARoS Director, noted the gallery’s uniqueness in Denmark, stating it creates a vital space for contemporary artists working across various mediums. The exhibition represents the first step in ARoS’ extensive expansion plans, which include the installation of a new work by James Turrell. Jenkin van Zyl’s Lost Property will run from June 20, 2025, through May 25, 2026, at ARoS.
Supported by the Augustinus Foundation, the New Carlsberg Foundation, and Ege Carpets, the opening of the Salling Gallery was made possible through donations from the Salling Foundations. Additionally, ARoS plans to publish a fully illustrated catalogue accompanying the exhibition. Jenkin van Zyl, a recent graduate of the RA Schools in London, has exhibited his work at various venues including the Hayward Gallery and the Centre Pompidou.
In summary, Jenkin Van Zyl’s Lost Property will inaugurate the new Salling Gallery at ARoS, aiming to engage with contemporary issues through inventive artistic experiences. The installation promises to immerse visitors in an alternate reality, reflecting on the complexities of identity and transformation within the modern world. This exhibition not only highlights the artist’s innovative approach but also marks a significant expansion for ARoS.
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