SHELTERS & TEXTILES
A solo exhibition by Dré Wapenaar

Opening
Saturday June 14, 2025
15.00 – 17.00

Address
NL=US Gallery
Mauritsweg 55B, 3012 JX, Rotterdam

Opening hours
Wed – Thu
Open by appointment
Fri – Sun
12 – 5 pm

This exhibition runs until July 20, 2025.

Exhibition Statement

Dre Wapenaar’s work centers on the appropriation and offering of space, exploring the ways in which we relate to one another through physical environments. His artistic practice invites reflection on how people interact, shift, and adapt within shared spaces — how we turn, twist, and move in response to one another and our surroundings.

Wapenaar is best known for his use of tent-like structures, pavilions, and other textile-based installations, which blur the line between architecture, sculpture, and social commentary. These forms are not just shelters, but vessels for interaction and connection — inviting engagement, both intimate and communal.

The latest works presented at the exhibition serve as a compelling summary of his current artistic approach. They demonstrate the breadth of his practice as it unfolds across various terrains — both literal and conceptual — and reveal a dialogue between past and present. His installations reach backward, drawing from earlier themes and materials, while simultaneously intertwining with new ideas, creating layered and resonant spaces that speak to the complexities of human relationships and spatial experience.

Dré Wapenaar
Wall Birds, 2016-ongoing
Canvas, wood, steel
40 x 40 x 20 cm

Dré Wapenaar
Linen #1 & #2 Wall Bird, 2026
Linen, steel, wood
40 x 40 x 20 cm