In the organizer's words:

Being-seen-being is an exhibition by Yolandé Gouws in which she explores a fleeting moment of encounter between man and forest. For Gouws, both man and forest exist in the same state: being present while being looked at. The title describes a moment of reciprocal encounter - you see the forest at a particular moment in its development, while the forest, through the bound branches, sees you at a particular moment in your own development.

The works contain fragments from the chestnut forests of Tailhos, France, revealing the particular geometry of branches and twigs at the moment of their capture. Cherry branches, which grow in silent coexistence with the chestnuts, are held in frames made of chestnut wood and fixed with silk threads. In Gouws' works, the forest has agency: it participates by holding its own qualities and presence in relation to the viewer.

This understanding also extends to the encounter with the artwork itself. Each work holds its own moment as it encounters yours. The same reciprocal relationship that exists between viewer and forest also exists between viewer and artwork.

Being-seen-being names this state shared by forest, artwork and viewer. All three exist simultaneously as observer and observed, refusing a clear separation between subject and object. What Gouws captures is the point of intersection where two evolving systems meet for a brief moment, acknowledge each other's qualities and presence, and then continue on their separate paths.