(Z)Art curated by Jan Hoet, ABTART Gallery, Stuttgart, October 2009 - January 2010

The emphasis of the first letter in the exhibition title lends the graceful and essentially so gentle German word zart (which translates as delicate or tender) a curious sense of drivenness and harshness. Things which are initially inconspicuous and frequently unfairly overlooked assert themselves with determination. We are forced to sharpen our awareness and our senses so that the delicate detail, the subtle nuances and fine distinctions deep down decisively determine the overall structure of the whole greatness. Detail could be said to be the most significant, most important thing that we rediscover and to which we ought to devote ourselves with reverence. At the same time, the universal value of things is suspended by the reverence for detail.