Katrien Vermeire: Der Kreislauf (A Handful)
A beach in De Haan, Belgium, might seem like an unusual place to think about money and exchange. Yet for nearly a century, French and Flemish speaking boys and girls have gathered here each summer, creating an economy of paper flowers, paid for with handfuls of shells gathered from the shore. The children use shells because, as one of them calmly observes, “children don’t give each other real money . . . It’s a game.” As is so often the case, however, the world of childhood play mirrors more grown-up themes. Katrien Vermeire’s documentary, Der Kreislauf, captures a day on this beach and its world of exchange, while also offering a meditation on the meaning and measure of value.
This exhibition is made possible by the Susan B. Weatherbie Exhibition Fund and the Leon Levy Foundation.