2019 Catalogue Archive

From the simplest of means – silver wire, black and red acrylic – Dutch artist Paul Derrez has created an amusing and sensual neckpiece. It is the bright red tongue that does all the work here, suggestively long and sinuous, but the man’s expression also plays a role, with its matter-of-fact stare, the eye acting as if it knows nothing of what the tongue is getting up to. When the neckpiece is worn on the body, the face is clearly visible, and the tongue appears as if it is trying to lick the wearer’s nipple. Derrez was trained as a goldsmith and designer, and in 1976 he founded Galerie Ra in Amsterdam. His work is featured in many international museums, including the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, The Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, and the National Museum of Modern Art in Kyoto.