You are listening to the wall text of the exhibition DOKA.

The art objects of M are safely stored in the dark depot, where a constant temperature is maintained. Only for an exhibition are they brought out, placed on display and illuminated. Photographer and guest curator Geert Goiris saw a parallel with the darkroom or doka, the magical place where analogue photos come to life. In this presentation, he aims to let carefully selected works from M’s contemporary art collection emerge from the darkness.

The development of an analogue black-and-white print – whereby only red light is allowed – takes roughly seven minutes. After that, the white light can be turned on to view the print. One by one, the exhibition halls are bathed in red light, evoking the experience of the darkroom. Each room in the exhibition is lit solely by red lamps for seven minutes. The monochromatic lighting alters our experience of the works: colours fade away, and contrast seems to increase. Shadows become deeper, details merge into the overall picture. During the red phase, we perceive the artworks in an unexpected way. At the same time, this intervention suggests that each image carries another.

The common thread throughout the exhibition is a quote from poet Mary Oliver: ‘Attention is the beginning of devotion’. Our era is characterised by high pace, distraction, and looking without truly seeing. The spaces where we spend a significant portion of our time are often shaped by entrenched habits and routines. The artworks in the exhibition disrupt our assumptions and expectations – sometimes subtly, sometimes explicitly. They invite us to take an unprejudiced look at the familiar and focus on the pleasure but also the necessity of attentive observation.