Panel discussion | The Art Summer of '86
In the context of the exhibition ‘Chambres d’Amis turns 40’, S.M.A.K. is organizing an afternoon of two in-depth debates surrounding the groundbreaking exhibition on Sunday, June 28. We will close the afternoon with a debate centered on the numerous art initiatives during the summer of ’86.
During the summer of ’86, the eyes of the entire art world were on Ghent. Alongside Chambres d’Amis, numerous other exhibitions took place. For Initiatief ’86, for instance, three leading international curators (Kasper König, Jean-Hubert Martin, and Gosse W. Oosterhof) were invited to curate a presentation of Belgian art at the Sint-Pietersabdij (St. Peter's Abbey). At the Vooruit, six artists put together a selection of work by 45 artists under the banner of Initiatief d’Amis. Meanwhile, Antichambre brought together the work of nearly two hundred artists in an abandoned textile factory just outside Ghent.
This debate brings together several key figures from that time to look back at the starting point, the challenges, and the convergences of these unique projects.
Speakers: Bart Cassiman (project coordinator Initiatief ’86) (tbc), Jean-Hubert Martin (curator Initiatief ’86), Wilfried Huet (Initiatief d’Amis), Piet Vanrobaeys (Antichambre)
Moderator: Sofie Frederix (Researcher at Ghent University, currently working on a PhD regarding the Ghent Art Summer, supervised by Prof. Dr. Steven Jacobs and Prof. Dr. Wouter Davidts)
- On Sunday 28.Jun.26 at 15:30
- In the S.M.A.K. auditorium
- In Dutch and English
- Free entree with reservation via reservation@smak.be
- Prior to this debate, another debate in the context of ‘Chambres d’Amis turns 40’ will take place, focusing on the master's thesis ‘More or Less Chambres d’Amis’. When booking, please indicate whether you will be attending both debates or just one.
