:: Petits Objects a ::

Petits objets a is an exhibition in Galerie 10a with a collection of small artworks.
from 01 till 31.12.2023
text by John Vande Wiele (Galerie 10a)

Small, yet grand…

Small objects are fascinating. For some reason, they charm us with their size and become cherished items. 

With our group exhibition Petits objets a, we playfully reference the concept of ‘objet petit a’ coined by Jacques Lacan. This psychoanalyst designated the object that causes our desire with the lowercase letter a. 
Lacan used the letter a as a logical value, based on algebra. It is a concept he used to metaphorically attribute the idea of loss. It’s not about something you have lost, but rather the constant feeling that something is missing in your life.

Lacanian theory is quite intricate, employing complex language and concepts, but this term turns out to beautifully align with the idea of curating an exhibition solely featuring small works. 

Objet petit a is an evolution of the concept of the object in psychoanalytic theory. There were predecessors who had written about it. Lacan referred to Freud’s ‘lost object of desire,’ but he was also inspired by Donald Winnicott’s ‘transitional object’ and Melanie Klein’s ‘partial object.’

Lacan thus aligned with the Freudian hypothesis that refers to the ‘lost object of desire’ as something continually sought but never found. Is that perhaps the reason why collectors obsessively keep searching for another missing piece in their collection?
Although this concept extended further, the object a refers to the initial letter of ‘autre,’ which in French means ‘other’ or ‘another,’ a reference to the ‘other’ object of desire that constantly appears. In summary, the petit objet a points to the unattainable. It is the object of the cause of desire or the window that reveals its absence.

works by Francis Bekaert, Barry Camps, Bieke Depoorter, Kobe De Peuter, Hanne De Wandel, Dario D’Aronco, Jan Dheedene, Alexander D’Hiet, Bart De Zutter, Sarah Eechaut, Nick Geboers, Marc Goddefroy, Lode Laperre, Anne Marie Laureys, Catherine Lemblé, Jonas Loellmann, Liesbeth Marit, Johan Parmentier, Sarah Pschorn, Stefan Peters, Julius Stibbe, Johan Tahon, Sigrid Tanghe, Nico Vaerewijck, Dominique Vangilbergen, Lotte Vandeghinste, Bart Vandevijvere, Brecht Vandenbroucke, Elia Vanderheyden, Frans Vercoutere, Ronald Zuurmond