From the Collection | Panamarenko (works on paper)
Since the founding of the Museum of Contemporary Art in 1975, Panamarenko has been a key artist for the museum. It’s no coincidence that the first acquisition for the collection was the work ‘Deltavliegtuig P-1 Piewan’ (1975). This was joined by the artists magnum opus in 1980, when the museum purchased ‘The Aeromodeller’ (1969-1971). Together with numerous other sculptures and drawings, these works form a coherent ensemble that can undoubtedly be seen as one of the cornerstones of the S.M.A.K. collection. From 8 February 2020, we will present a selection of works on paper that provide a deeper insight into the realisation process that preceded his artworks.
Museum for a Small City | Richard Venlet
S.M.A.K. will be showing ‘Museum for a Small City’ (2015) by Richard Venlet (b. 1964, Hamilton, Australia) for the entire year. The abstracted design, inspired by an unrealised museum project by Mies van der Rohe, will function as a platform for the collection and art-historical research, as well as a place in which to initiate dialogues about contemporary museum activities. Richard Venlet will formulate new collection displays and work with S.M.A.K.’s extensive archive. These material presentations will be complemented by performances and a lecture programme, including the ‘Curatorial Lectures’ in collaboration with the Curatorial Studies programme at KASK/School of Arts at HoGent.
PERFORMANCE: ULA SICKLE
Friday 7 February 2020 at 20:30 and Sunday 9 February at 15:00.
Charbel-joseph H. Boutros (b. 1981, Bikfaya, Lebanon) was born during the Lebanese civil war. The political history of his homeland and the latent fears in contemporary society are never far away in his work. Although Boutros’ installations, sculptures and video works might initially seem simple, they are always underpinned by complex ideas. These are delicate, poetic and sometimes melancholic works that draw our attention to the intervals in everyday life. Charbel-joseph H. Boutros work has already been shown in S.M.A.K. as part of the retrospective exhibition ‘The Collection (1) | Highlights for a Future’. This exhibition is his first solo project in a Belgian museum.
From the Collection | Poetic Faith
A person can never perceive truth and fiction at the same time. But there is such a thing as ‘poetic faith’ or the ‘suspension of disbelief’. This is a mechanism in our brains that automatically triggers a temporary suspension of our belief in rational, perceptible reality, thereby allowing us to believe in the fiction we encounter at that moment. Indeed, whilst reading a novel or watching a film, we ‘believe’ in the story, however implausible it might seem. ‘Poetic faith’ is considered an essential ingredient for storytelling of any kind.
With work by Shikh Sabbir Alam, Guillaume Bijl, Marie Cloquet, Leo Copers, Hanne Darboven, Thierry De Cordier, Markus Degerman, Jef Geys, Joseph Grigely, Jorge Macchi, Bruce Nauman, Navid Nuur, Panamarenko, Giulio Paolini, Mandla Reuter, Jason Rhoades, Gil Shachar, Nedko Solakov, Birde Vanheerswynghels, Jan Van Imschoot, Tamara Van San and Philippe Van Snick.
Practical
- Friday 7 February 2020 - between 20:00 and 23:00.
- Free admission.
- Enjoy a conversation in the museum café afterwards.
