Rebel Echoes

800 years of stories, 100 years of museum

31.03 » 03.11.2024

One hundred years ago, the castle welcomed its first museum visitors. Marie Arconati Visconti, the castle's last marquise, had the express wish that her life's work be opened to the public. After a thorough restoration, her carefully decorated dream castle once again shines in all its glory. The collection is back home, ready to be admired in a new setting. In true Gaasbeek tradition, we invite nationally and internationally recognised artists to enter into dialogue with this multi-layered location with new creations or existing work.

Slightly rebellious

With a rich history of some 800 years, the castle is littered with stories. The former residents, each with their own - somewhat rebellious - character, are once again demanding their place in the new scenography. The voices of the past echo through the walls here, resonating in the hallways and whispering softly. Their echoes are reflected in letter fragments that lead you through the castle rooms. You will be touched and intrigued as you immerse yourself in Marie's passion for her castle, feel Costanza's grief over the death of her son or experience Giammartino's wonder during his adventurous journey in the Middle East. Perhaps their dreams, musings and worries are not so different from ours after all?

Timeless

At Gaasbeek Castle, you'll wander through centuries that flow effortlessly into one another, let time fool you and realise that history is never "finished". The extraordinary castle collection - from paintings to tapestries, from coins to curios - enters into a surprising confrontation with various, carefully curated, contemporary works. Some works were created specifically for this site. The special encounter between old and new sparks the imagination and makes both the artist and visitor dream, reflect and fantasise. The past and the present share an intimate embrace, adding a palpable heartbeat to what has been and gone.

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In addition to contemporary artworks that are part of our permanent collection, this year's exhibition features contemporary reflections from Philip Aguirre y Otegui I Rosa Barba I Kati Heck I Kendell Geers I Gülsün Karamustafa I Maurizio Nannucci I Nadia Naveau I Sophie Whettnall

Advisor contemporary art Ann Geeraerts
Author letter fragments Leen Huet
Campaign image Jim Van Raemdonck, Soon
Film curator Wouter Hessels
Light Chris Pype
Music curator Jeroen D'hoe
Realisation scenography Potteau & Etoile mecanique
Scenographer Niek Kortekaas, Origin
With thanks to 24Frame Kinoprojection