Leuven - Museum M - Pedro Cabrita Reis | Freek Wambacq

Pedro Cabrita Reis
One after another, a few silent steps
25 february 2011 - 22 may 2011

Pedro Cabrita Reis (°1956, Portugal) is one of the leading artists of his generation. Since the early '90s, he has focused on themes such as housing, living space, construction and territory.

Cabrita Reis is inspired by everyday life. Consequently, he uses everyday objects in his art, e.g. tables, chairs or doors. He combines these with industrial materials such as neon lights, steel girders and bricks, and uses them to create new, abstract compositions. In his work, he treats the constructed environment in which we live. The places to which he refers are marked by both individual and collective meaning and memory.

Cabrita Reis' artworks have been exhibited in numerous international exhibitions, including 'Documenta IX' (1992) and the Lyon Biennale (2009). In 2003, he represented Portugal at the Venice Biennale. The extensive exhibition at M is bringing together about forty works, including sculptures, paintings, photos and spatial installations. Cabrita Reis is also presenting new work, made especially for the exhibition spaces at M.

This exhibition is organised in co-operation with Hamburger Kunsthalle, Carré d'Art Nîmes and Museo Berrardo in Lisbon.

Image: 'I dreamt your house was a line', 2003 © Pedro Cabrita Reis Studio

Freek Wambacq
24 february 2011 - 15 may 2011

The work of Freek Wambacq (°1978, Belgium) often arises from chance encounters and personal discoveries. He investigates the connections between sculpture, installation and architecture. In so doing, the artist makes use of everyday, sometimes even absurd-looking objects and artisanal materials and techniques.

Below the surface of these deceptively simple objects, however, there is a tangle of various stories, sociological commentaries and recurring architectural or art historical references that add numerous dimensions to the aesthetic qualities of the work. Wambacq's artistic creation is both material and conceptual, thus creating a critical link between the art world and the world itself.

More information: www.mleuven.be

Image: Twelve birds, five horses and a small fire, 2009 © Freek Wambacq