Wilde Gallery is thrilled to announce the opening of Kendell Geers' first exhibition with the gallery, titled "The Oculist Witness." The exhibition will run from June 10 to August 17, 2024, marking Geers' debut in Basel. Known for his provocative and bold works, Geers brings a unique perspective shaped by his experiences growing up in apartheid-era South Africa and his journey as an artist in exile.

Geers’ work is characterized by its engagement with themes of history, art, and activism. He uses his art to challenge and transform perceptions, weaving together elements of minimalism, conceptual art, and activism into a complex tapestry. His approach is deeply rooted in his identity as a white African, and he interrogates this identity through his work, exploring the intersections of personal and political histories.

At the heart of "The Oculist Witness" is Geers’ book, Duchamp's Endgame. This book is not just a supplement to the exhibition but its conceptual core, guiding the viewer through Geers' intellectual and artistic exploration. In Duchamp's Endgame, Geers delves into Marcel Duchamp’s time in Munich in 1912, providing new insights into Duchamp’s contributions to modern art and challenging conventional art historical narratives.

The exhibition features several of Geers' most significant works, including Stripped Bare (2009), a three-meter-high wall of bulletproof glass shattered by seven bullets, referencing Duchamp's "The Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors, Even." This piece highlights the fragile human condition and the intersection of art and politics. Another notable work is Tears of Eros (2009), a small glass phial filled with teargas, playing on Duchamp's "Air de Paris" and exploring the relationship between violence and the sacred.

Geers’ approach to art often involves recontextualizing found objects, which he refers to as "lost objects." This concept is exemplified in his work Self Portrait (1995), a broken Heineken bottleneck transformed into a weapon of destruction, commenting on the colonial process and corporate interests.

Rack (2009) is another significant piece in the exhibition, referencing both a medieval torture instrument and Duchamp's iconic "Bottlerack." Geers transforms a vintage bottlerack by adding broken Heineken bottles, restoring and denying its original functionality.

The exhibition also includes Duchamp’s Endgame, published in partnership with Fonds Mercator and Yale University Press. Available exclusively through Wilde during Art Basel 2024, the book offers a fresh perspective on Duchamp, portraying him as a classicist rather than an iconoclast and challenging the established narratives about his work.