Flemish Culture minister opens Belgian pavilion at Venice Biennale
Flemish Culture minister Caroline Gennez officially opened the Belgian pavilion at the Venice Biennale on Wednesday. In her opening speech, Gennez expressed strong enthusiasm for the work by artist Miet Warlop and curator Caroline Dumalin.
"The combination of song, performance and sculpture is unique to the Biennale," Gennez said. "With 'It Never Ssst', Miet Warlop brings an exciting and contemporary interpretation to this pavilion. It is a project in which the imagination, talent and passion of the Flemish art scene are revealed to the rest of the world."
Warlop's creation is described as a "musical and living sculpture," a blend of visual art, theater, music, and dance. Performers ritualistically move, carry, and break plaster casts of words. With the work, the Flemish artist addresses the chaotic state of the world, which never stops moving. The project will also be on display at the Kanal-Centre Pompidou in Brussels next year.
Gennez expressed hope that the Belgian pavilion and the work of the other selected Flemish artists at the Biennale will draw large audiences over the coming months. Among her engagements at the event, she will welcome the Dutch royal couple during their visit to the pavilion.
Political tensions
In her speech, Gennez also drew attention to the geopolitical tensions that have disrupted this year's edition, voicing support for artists protesting the presence of Russia and Israel at the Biennale. "Countries that bomb museums, destroy churches and villages, and attempt to annihilate an entire culture have no place here," the minister said.
The minister went on to warn of growing pressure on artists worldwide and the threat of censorship. "Artists are the canaries in the coal mine of our democracy," she said. "If we are not vigilant against the forces eroding our democracy, we may wake up tomorrow in a world where nothing and no one is safe, and where not only art but also our way of life is determined by authoritarian regimes bent on maximum control."
#FlandersNewsService | Actors perform "IT NEVER SSST" by Belgian artist Miet Warlop at the Belgian Pavilion during the opening of the Venice Biennale. PHOTO © MARCO BERTORELLO / AFP
Related news
