ELENA RUCLI – JAN VAN DER PLOEG
4 April 2021 - 30 June 2021

“A drawing of a tree shows, not a tree, but a tree being looked at.”
J. Berger
Before even picking up a pencil or a pen to draw, I put myself in observation and pay
attention to every detail that I am going to draw.
The drawing questions and studies the visible.
We draw to discover something new, relating it to what we already know.
I walk in the woods, observe and trace shapes. I am attracted to forms: shadows, objects,
presences. I realize that as the shapes of the plants change, the landscape that welcomes them
changes too. I observe and notice the impact the plants have on me. I keep walking and
tracing shapes.
Following John Berger’s thought, the drawings of these plants do not show the plants
themselves, but the plants as observed by me.

Similar to the work 'Family at 4 o'clock by the artist Ulay, which was exhibited in PS projectspace in recent months, the acquaintance of Elena Rucli and her work also took place in Topolò, a small village in Northeastern Italy.
From a very young age Elena has drawn and developed a special and individual style. In addition to her studies at the Faculty of Architecture IUAV in Venice, she continuously works on various series of drawings, mainly using lines through ink on paper.
For the exhibition in PS, Elena Rucli made a series of line drawings of plants. The new series of drawings will be shown together with a new geometric abstract mural by Jan van der Ploeg.
Through this presentation form, two apparently greatest possible contrasts will be brought together in an installation and enter into a dialogue with each other. The exhibition Elena Rucli - Jan van der Ploeg can be viewed by appointment from April 4 - June 30, 2021.

Elena Rucli (1995) is working on her master thesis, at the Faculty of Architecture IUAV in Venice, related to the city of Porto, where she did her international exchange in 2018-2019 at FAUP. In 2016-2017 she attended the Accademia di Architettura in Mendrisio (Switzerland) and in the same year also worked at the offices of De Vylder Vinck Taillieu in Ghent. Since 2016 she has been part of the editorial board of Robida magazine.
She is currently developing her interests in pottery and illustration.

Jan van der Ploeg (1959) lives and works in Amsterdam.
He exhibited his work extensively in both solo and group exhibitions in Europe, North America, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.
In 1999 Jan van der Ploeg founded the artist-run gallery, PS projectspace in Amsterdam.

https://elenarucli.tumblr.com/
http://www.janvanderploeg.com