Expo: Boundary Objects by Marlene Bart

The first solo exhibition by artist Marlene Bart, titled “Boundary Objects,” opens on November 21 in Brussels. The exhibition will be held at Galerie Peter Gaugy, which opened its new location this fall in Ixelles.

Marlene Bart continues her exploration of the dissolution and disintegration of systems of order in her latest exhibition, Boundary Objects, building upon her previous project Ordnungswut, which questioned humanity’s obsession with classification and taxonomies. In Boundary Objects, Bart expands on the concept of ambivalence—the persistence of a state that reflects humanity’s enduring drive for order. For Bart, order is not a fixed or unshakable structure, but one that is constantly contested, negotiated, and reshaped through networks involving both human and non-human actors.

Central to this exhibition is the concept of Boundary Objects, introduced by sociologist Susan Leigh Star. Boundary objects are artifacts that act as points of connection across different domains of knowledge, enabling diverse actors to communicate despite their varying perspectives. Just as history is defined by specific dates, art history by significant works, and natural history by important discoveries, these boundary objects bridge and anchor complex narratives, marking pivotal shifts in understanding. For paleontologists, bones often serve as theoretical boundaries, marking large periods of evolution as seen with the famous specimen Lucy. 

In a playful delineation of the shifts in her own work, Bart introduces a new sculptural piece that combines animal bone, glass, and 3D-printed elements. Acting as a metaphor for ordering taxonomies, this work is simultaneously strong and fragile—like our ideas, it is a hybrid of the organic and the artificial. Bones play a central role in Bart’s practice: skeletal specimens often underpin her graphic works, while her installations serve as metaphorical skeletons, continuously reassembled and reshaped to fit the exhibition context. It is on these structures that she explores her research-based work. 

Through the act of making art and creating exhibitions, Bart demonstrates that artists, just like philosophers and scientists, have the power to shift the perceived order of the world, by creating new boundary objects. Her work shows how creative action can redefine boundaries and reshape our understanding of the mutability of established structures.

Expo details:
Marlene Bart: Boundary Objects
Dates: November 22 – December 23, 2024
Vernissage: November 21 at 7 pm
Location: Galerie Peter Gaugy, Rue de l’Abbaye 8 Abdijstraat, 1050 Brussels, Belgium