Works at the White House, 51A Washington Street
Stefan Nikolaev

" The title “Works at the White House, 51A Washington Street”, rich in multi-layered references—from geography to contemporary art—engages in a dialogue between the very idea of the White House, a symbol of power and representation in Washington, and the aesthetic of the “White Cube” as theorized by Brian O'Doherty, or rather, White House versus White Cube. But above all, the title resonates in a particularly meaningful way thanks to the location hosting the exhibition, the Michel Rein gallery: a white-walled Brussels townhouse located on Washington Street.

The idea of a house also evokes a private space, that of collections, where I hope the works in the exhibition will find their true home. The exhibition title, of course, opportunistically takes advantage of the gallery's address, playing on this coincidence to create a wordplay that amplifies the dialogue between the exhibition space and the symbolism of both the White Cube and the White House. "

Stefan NIKOLAEV, February 2025