BEL ETAGE @ 

Location:
public space, Town Hall – courtyard, Stadsplein 1, B-3600 Genk.

Open:
01/06/12 to 30/09/12 / or up to destruction.

Artist:
Marc Bijl, Ronald De Bloeme, BNNT, Agnieszka Brzezanska,
Stefaan Dheedene, Michael Hakimi, Renata Kaminska

WAS IST IST …!!  — (Einstürzende Neubauten, Berlin 1996)
This exhibition brings together the work of artists, who in different ways explore the integration of preliminarity, or more precisely, the possibilities of the artwork and its instability, in the occupation of public space.

This is not so much of a theme, or a subject matter (although it sometimes can be) but much more a constitutional element of the artwork, the design accommodating its own fragility, which arises from the typical “weathering” on site. This of course also refers to the “involvement” of the exhibition-goers.

Who does public space belong to?
How much of it is mine?

All the works, regardless of whether their primary motivation is political, or aesthetic, incorporate this time-limited existence into their structure in its original form. With the knowledge that no intervention in public space can be apolitical, every artwork takes the local socio-economic, historical and political contexts in to account, which are inherent to the specific topography in question.

Vandalism is a phenomenon, which initially expresses itself in the form of “meaningless” destruction or damage. But when you look closely, however, these activities are by no means without a motive. The transformation of depression into action, out of which is born a desire to break social taboos, is a psychological reaction. The deeper lying motivation is therefore a confirmation that even powerless people, who are normally controlled by powerful institutions and authorities, can sometimes flee their powerlessness, rebel, and… control their own environment.

The exhibition will be subject to the “weathering” circumstances specific to this particular area and the particular time span (from several days to a couple of weeks).
These circumstances then in turn result in the regional influence of the current public mood on the artworks themselves.

The structure and aesthetic of the artworks will also doubtless show progressive signs of change and decay with the passing of time. Visible ageing, and the traces left by visitors are included as a creative, vandalistic exchange within the exhibition.