The series of new works by David Claerbout currently on view at Greta Meert mark the beginning of a new relationship between the Brussels gallery and the Antwerp-based artist. Among the works, the single-channel video Birdcage (all works 2023, unless otherwise stated) stands out. Projected on an imposingly large screen on the ground floor, it begins with substantially more movement than what one generally finds in Claerbout’s signature video minimalism. We’re taken around a flourishing garden, rich in plant and bird life, with an immersive soundtrack. Only the weirdly saturated colors portend the upcoming surprise. In fact, the exhibition brochure spoils it in the first few sentences: the stately mansion in the middle of the garden will literally blow up. The announced moment suspends the actual flow of time in the video, while projecti…
