Tapta at Frieze London 2024 | Angulaire Exhibition

Tapta‘s ‘Angulaire’ to Make Debut at Fireze London 2025, signaling a Resurgence of Pioneering Sculptor

A landmark sculpture by the late Polish-Belgian artist Tapta (1926-1997) will be unveiled at Fireze London in July 2025, marking the first time “Angulaire” has been publicly exhibited. Gallery Baton will present the work at booth C21,contributing to a growing rediscovery of Tapta’s innovative contributions to European modern sculpture.

A Late-Career Masterpiece Re-Emerges

Tapta, a sculptor who boldly expanded the boundaries of her art form, is experiencing a renewed recognition for her groundbreaking use of unconventional materials. she challenged traditional notions of sculpture by incorporating textiles, neoprene, and industrial metal into her work, radically reimagining the relationship between material, space, and form in the late 20th century. Recent, highly acclaimed retrospectives at WIELS in Brussels (2023) and museum Susch in Switzerland (2024) have solidified her legacy and demonstrated the enduring relevance of her artistic vision.

Did you know? – Tapta’s work often blurred the lines between sculpture, architecture, and design. She aimed to create pieces that were both visually striking and conceptually engaging, prompting viewers to consider their relationship to the surrounding environment.

‘Angulaire’: Where Softness Meets Rigidity

“Angulaire” exemplifies Tapta’s late 1980s exploration of neoprene, a period where she repositioned minimalist form and industrial materiality as a space for exploring embodied tension. The sculpture, an elongated isosceles triangle elegantly divided by a curve and supported by a simple metal hinge, is designed to provoke a dynamic interaction between the viewer’s perspective, the sculpture’s weight, and the surrounding space.

According to a gallery release, the deceptively simple construction of “Angulaire” represents a pivotal shift in Tapta’s practice-a transition from woven fiber to structural sculpture. This transition encapsulates a compelling juxtaposition of softness and rigidity, embodying the core of her artistic inquiry.

Pro tip: – When viewing “Angulaire,” consider how the interplay of light and shadow affects your perception of its form. Tapta intentionally designed her sculptures to be responsive to their environment.

An “Open Sculptural Language”

The work also embodies Tapta’s conceptual framework,which she described as an “open sculptural language.” This concept emphasized a fluidity between the private and public spheres, and between the material and the symbolic. “Angulaire” served as a crucial prototype for Tapta’s monumental final work, “Esprit Ouvert” (1997, steel and stainless steel), a permanent installation in a public square near Brussels North Station.

This connection highlights the evolution of Tapta’s ideas and her commitment to creating art that engages wiht both individual experience and the broader public realm.

Reader question: – How do you think Tapta’s use of unconventional materials like neoprene challenged traditional definitions of sculpture? Share your thoughts!

For further data, please contact Gallery Baton at [email protected].