Visual Arts Flanders 2012 - A Cluster of Visual Arts Exhibitions in Belgium

In a year that will see the organization of major contemporary arts events such as Documenta 13 (Kassel, Germany), London 2012 - Cultural Olympiad (UK), Lille 3000 (France) and Mono 2012 (Centre Pompidou, Metz, France together with Mudam, Luxembourg), several large visual arts exhibitions will enrich Belgium's appeal to international visitors.

The favorable geographic positioning and the communal focus on contemporary art of these five events have been seized as an opportunity to create the cluster Visual Arts Flanders 2012 that gathers them into one comprehensive international communication platform. Visual Arts Flanders 2012 is certain that the high qualitative character of each of its five represented exhibitions will appeal to the arts professionals and culture tourists traveling to and from those events to make a stop in Belgium.

The Visual Arts Flanders 2012 cluster is composed of following contemporary art events:

Beaufort04
Beaufort04 is the fourth edition of the Triennial of Contemporary Art by the Sea. The Belgian coast and contemporary art have found one another again through monumental installations and intriguing works of art embedded in the unique biotope of the dynamic coastal municipalities. The selected works of art are a reflection of what is happening in the contemporary international art scene. Phillip Van den Bossche, curator for Beaufort04, made a studied selection of contemporary artists from the 27 member states of the European Union. With new or existing works, they respond to the environment outside the museum and share an imaginative and imaginary world with the visitors of the coast. Again, the fourth edition of the Triennial of Contemporary Art by the Sea will undoubtedly cause a summery sensation and give rise to artistic reflections along the Belgian coast.

Curator: Phillip Van den Bossche, director of Mu.ZEE, the art museum by the sea, Ostend
Venues: an eclectic selection of coastal towns along the North Sea shores
Dates: 31 March > 30 September 2012
www.beaufort04.be

TRACK
TRACK is a temporary exhibition of work by thirty international artists who thereby leave permanent traces in the most intimate circles, the private sphere and public space. TRACK is a citywide exhibition that will be held in Ghent. It builds on an existing tradition of art projects outside the museum such as "Chambres d'Amis" (1986) and "Over the Edges" (2000). More than thirty international artists are invited to work at indoor and outdoor locations in six areas in Ghent. They will make use of the local context and the abundant diversity of the urban realm. At the same time they will raise vital questions about our globalized world. So as part of the circuit the visitor will not only come across stories about Ghent, but will also be offered views on aging, migration, religion, etc.

Curators: Philippe Van Cauteren (director S.M.A.K.) and Mirjam Varadinis (Kunsthaus Zürich)

Venues: various locations dispersed over the city territory of Ghent
Dates: 12 May > 16 September 2012

www.track.be

Middelheim Museum 2012 - A restyled open air museum
In 2012, the Middelheim Museum will seize the opportunity to critically assess its own (infra)structure. Exhibition possibilities will be optimized, and the visitors' welcome will also be taken to a new level. In this context, an important role has been established for the modernization of the museum's infrastructure: a new reception area in the Middelheim Castle, with a cozy café and a dynamic shop, will become the park's heart. The signaling and accessibility will also be improved. In order to maximise exhibition possibilities, the Belgian architect Paul Robbrecht was requested to build a half-open pavilion. The design for the Middelheim Museum includes a steel pavilion that provides protection for vulnerable pieces without isolating them from their surroundings. The design pays special attention to the relationship with the surrounding area, and to a natural and logical positioning within the park environment. The building will be inaugurated on May 26th 2012 with an exclusive exhibition of ceramic and glass sculptures by Thomas Schütte (°1954, Germany). Because this is a special museum year, the Middelheim Museum has asked Ai Weiwei (°1957, China) and Roman Signer (°1938, Switzerland) to create new, tailor-made pieces for the Museum.

Curators: Paul Robbrecht (Robbrecht & Daem architects), in collaboration with Middelheim-museum.
Venue: Middelheim Museum (Antwerp)

Official opening: 26-28 May 2012
Thomas Schütte exhibition: 26 May 2012 > 18 September 2012
www.middelheimmuseum.be

Manifesta 9
Manifesta, the European Biennial of Contemporary Art, is a travelling contemporary art event, showcasing the most innovative work by artists and curators from Europe and beyond. Kicking off in Belgium on June 2, 2012 and running for a period of 100 days, Manifesta 9 will be taking place in the historical Mine Building of Waterschei in Genk, Limburg, Belgium. Since its first edition 15 years ago, Manifesta has been concerned with the idea of breaking down barriers, crossing borders and building bridges. Incorporating exhibitions, performances, multi-media experiments and broadcasts, Manifesta 9 highlights the very best of creative thought, research and experimentation, involving individual artists and artistic communities from diverse backgrounds from all around the world.Manifesta changes its location every two years in response to a variety of social, political and geographical considerations. Since 1996, it has been held in Rotterdam, Luxembourg, Ljubljana, Frankfurt, Donostia-San Sebastián, Nicosia, Trentino-Alto Adige and the Region of Murcia.

Curators: Cuauhtémoc Medina (Mexico City) and co-curators Dawn Ades (London), Katerina Gregos
 (Brussels)
Venue: former mining site of Waterschei (Genk)
Dates: 2 June > 30 September 2012
www.manifesta9.org

Newtopia: The State of Human Rights
Newtopia: The State of Human Rights is the first major exhibition of contemporary visual art to set out to investigate the relationship between art and human rights. In recent years many emerging and established contemporary artists interested in social and political issues have created a substantial amount of work exploring the various aspects of human rights. Many of them – some from countries where human rights are a highly contested issue – will be included in the exhibition. Aiming to provide visitors with a comprehensive and personal understanding of the various questions associated with human rights, the exhibition will present work in a diverse range of media by some fifty international artists. In doing so it will demonstrate how human rights have developed globally and what has – or has not - been achieved since 1948, the year of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. For Newtopia, the first major exhibition of visual art devoted to this theme, curator Katerina Gregos has devised a trail that links five different locations, all easily accessible on foot, which will entail a fascinating combination of history and cutting-edge art.

Curator: Katerina Gregos, Brussels based curator and writer (Venice Biennial 2011, Manifesta 9).
Venues: Mechelen Cultural Centre; Lamot, Conference and Heritage Centre; Hof van Busleyden Municipal Museum; Kazerne Dossin. Memorial, Museum and Documentation Centre on Holocaust and Human Rights; Mechelen city centre
Dates: 1 September > 10 december 2012

www.newtopia.be

Contact: leen.gysen@bamart.be

More information: www.visualartsflanders2012.be