Zoo at the Electric Plant
dal 22/6/2006 al 7/10/2006
Segnalato da
Gilles Aillaud
Jane Alexander
Stephen Balkenhol
Joel Bartolomeo
Pascal Bernier
Balthasar Burkhard
Marie Jose' Burki
Bogna Burska
Christian Carez
Cracking Art Group
Berlinde De Bruyckere
Jan Fabre
Maider Fortune'
Jean-Francois Gavoty
Carsten Holler
Roni Horn
Karen Knorr
Oleg Kulik
Per Maning
Johan Muyle
Dorota Nieznalska
Charlemagne Palestine
Eric Poitevin
Rober Racine
Olivier Richon
Carolina Saquel
Alain Se'chas
William Sweetlove
Tomi Ungerer
Bob Vanderbob
Valerie Vanderschaeghe
William Wegman
22/6/2006
Zoo at the Electric Plant
La Centrale for contemporary art, Bruxelles
The electrical plant now is transformed into exhibition space. This 1000 sq. meter space in the heart of the city, with glass roof and beautiful heights, has been baptised European Center of contemporary art. Zoo, the opening show, explores the animal in contemporary art. Thirty Belgian and international artists present artworks questioning the ambiguity of the relation that binds man and animal, ranging from passionate admiration to shameless domination.
European Centre of Contemporary Art of the City of Brussels
As of 23rd June 2006. A 1000 m2, ceilings from 3,5m to 9m high, brick and concrete walls, 4 nice leaded windows; a heritage, first accommodating the first power plant of the City of Brussels (1901-1903) and later the workshops of the Department of Town planning, will now be dedicated to contemporary art. Situated at the crossroad of European and other cultures, the goal of La Centrale will be to present contemporary artistic creation through all its disciplines (visual arts, video, multimedia, installations, performances...) to the greater public and to evoke the debate on art and its social roots. La Centrale e'lectrique, open to partnerships and exchanges, will offer he artists a space of creation and experiment. The expositions will highlight Belgian and international artists, from the well established to the new discovery. The very youngest among us get special attention and their own space, while collaborations with Schools and Art Academies are set up.
The centre, conveniently located not far from the Grand’Place, occupies a building constructed around 1901 that originally housed the City’s power station. As such, with ceilings measuring up to nine metres high, it provides the perfect blank canvas for showing artwork. There will be no permanent collection but instead four major shows a year presenting established Belgian and international artists. There are also youth workshops and a pedagogical programme that will accompany each exhibition.
Zoo, the opening exhibition, explores the animal in contemporary art. Thirty Belgian and international artists present artworks questioning the ambiguity of the relation that binds man and animal.
Gilles Aillaud; Jane Alexander; Stephen Balkenhol; Joel Bartolome'o; Pascal Bernier; Balthasar Burkhard; Marie Jose' Burki; Bogna Burska; Christian Carez; Cracking Art Group; Berlinde De Bruyckere; Jan Fabre; Maider Fortune'; Jean-Francois Gavoty; Carsten Holler; Roni Horn; Karen Knorr; Oleg Kulik; Per Maning; Johan Muyle; Dorota Nieznalska; Charlemagne Palestine; Eric Poitevin; Rober Racine; Olivier Richon; Carolina Saquel; Alain Se'chas; William Sweetlove; Tomi Ungerer; Bob Vanderbob; Vale'rie Vanderschaeghe; William Wegman.
Image: Oleg Kulik
Zoo runs from 23 June - 8 October 2006. There will also be a colloquium called “Animal’ on 22 September at City Hall in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Fine Art of the City of Brussels. For info tel: +32 (0)2 279 64 35.
La Centrale electrique, 44 Place Sainte-Catherine, 1000 Brussels