Astrophysics seems to be a recurring theme in Depelchin’s most recent work. In general astrophysics meant a great deal during his life so far. As a small boy he wondered about the stars and the universe. By consequence he learned about the existence of black holes. These black stars, absorbing their surroundings: What are they exactly; if not a crack in the matrix leading elsewhere in the matrix? Are they not the physical proof of eternal return and repetition as the snake biting its own tail?

Hence, these black holes proof to be the perfect symbolization of Depelchin’s continuous mythification (conversing into myths); characteristic to his artistic process: The mechanism of this mythification itself, is a mechanism of eternal return. Depelchin interprets reality and meta-reality (art-history, literature…) in order to create a new reality. He decontextualizes and neo-contextualizes. In that sense, his work is the head of the snake grabbing the old tail hoovering through space. The black hole is the gateway through which travelling is essential in order to get to the creational space. It is as if you travel through the belly of the snake. For the spectator too, it is the essential gateway to comprehend Depelchin’s oeuvre.

Therefore, Depelchin integrated the first comprehensive image of a black hole (supermassive black hole in galaxy M87 published by the Event Horizon Telescope on April 10, 2018) in his artistic practice, resulting in five representations so far. Omphalos, as one of them, is most faithful to the original picture. Its title means navel and refers to the gateway (the umbilical cord) that tied us to our former home. According to Peter, a metaphor for the black hole binding us to this other creational space.