Treasures old and new from Wallonia
dal 12/2/2008 al 17/5/2008
Segnalato da
12/2/2008
Treasures old and new from Wallonia
Bozar - Centre for Fine Arts, Bruxelles
Exhibition takes 140 historical and contemporary works of art and paints a free and uninhibited picture of Wallonia from the twelfth to the XVI centuries. Many works were inspired by religion and made for specific churches or abbeys. There is often something miraculous or extraordinary about religious stories, like those about saints found in the Old and New Testaments.
Curator: Laurent Busine
The exhibition Treasures old and new from Wallonia is the product of the vivid imagination of Laurent Busine, the charismatic director of MAC (Museum for Contemporary Art at Grand-Hornu). He takes 140 historical and contemporary works of art and paints a free and uninhibited picture of Wallonia from the twelfth to the sixteenth centuries.
This combination of time and space is in itself a surprising concept, for the name Wallonia was not applied to the region until 1844. Like so many other countries and regions, Wallonia is both real and fictitious, a construction. Many works of art from the period in question were inspired by religion and made for specific churches or abbeys. There is often something miraculous or extraordinary about religious stories, like the stories about saints found in the Old and New Testaments. And indeed the Walloon paradox and the sense of the extraordinary are the point of departure for this exhibition. The thread running through it is the highly personal and fictitious story that Busine tells about his region, Wallonia.
Laurent Busine selected a wide range of works of art - including paintings, silverware, tapestries and sculptures - from both private and public collections (museums, churches, etc.) in Wallonia and abroad. He chose the artworks not only for their art-historical significance, but also for their powerful narrative value.
So what we find is a personal mix of well-known and lesser-known artists, historic and contemporary art and a number of curiosities. The works on show include paintings by Joachim Patenier, Henri Blès and Jan Gossaert, sculptures by Jacques du Broeucq, an entire 20-meter tapestry from Tournai dating from the fifteenth century and relics made by Hugo d’Oignies. But the visitor can also expect to see unusual objects like an incense burner in the shape of a church, St Dagobert's skull and a headless horseman. Busine also integrates contemporary art by Orla Barry, Michel François, Jean-Pol Godart, Juan Paparella, Beat Streuli and Angel Vergara into his story.
Treasures old and new from Wallonia is a surprising trail punctuated with contemporary touches. It is not the historical or ideological representation that prevails, but the power of poetry, humanity and simplicity - all characteristics which typify Laurent Busine and perhaps also that 'surprising' land called Wallonia.
Short biography of Laurent Busine
Laurent Busine was born on January 6th 1951. Since 2002 he has been Director of the MAC, the Museum of Contemporary Art of the French Community at Grand-Hornu (Hainaut, Belgium).
Since graduating in History of Art and Archaeology from the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), he has written numerous scientific and literary publications as well as introductions to catalogues. He also lectures in Museum Studies at the ULB and sits on numerous cultural committees. He was Chairman of the Advisory Committee for the Visual Arts in Belgium's French Community. From 1982 to 2002 he was Director of Exhibitions at the Museum of Fine Arts in Charleroi.
Opening Wednesday 13th of February 2008
Centre for Fine Arts
Rue Ravensteinstraat 23, 1000 Brussels
Opening times: Tuesdays - Sundays, 10-18
Thursdays, 10-21
Tickets €9, €14: Combiticket Paul Klee