Exposition
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In Brussels, a fascinating exhibition brings to life the artistic movement which, beyond Quiévrain, was much more serious and lasting than in France.
A giraffe, all alone, trapped in a crystal glass: this is the poster for History of Not Laughing, the fascinating exhibition which traces the history of surrealism in Belgium. Painted by Magritte in 1946, the painting was chosen for its famous author, the most popular of the surrealist painters, but also because it is “a little sad” explains Xavier Canonne, director of the Museum of Photography in Charleroi. For the curator, there is indeed something serious in Belgian surrealism: “It’s not stupid and fat laughter, it’s not waffles and chocolate. It’s a laughter that targets, a moralizing laughter.” As we prepare to celebrate the centenary of surrealism – the publication of André Breton’s Manifesto dates from October 1924 – Brussels opens the ball with a Belgian part (less known, seen from Paris) of this artistic adventure international. If the immense René Magritte made his city a surrealist capital and a marketing argument for Belgium, a crowd of artists gravitated around him. This exhibition does them justice.
Surrealism in the news
With nearly 280 works and 150 documents, the hanging of History of Not Laughing is reminiscent of those of the time, with touch-touch paintings on load-bearing partitions. At the beginning of the chronological journey, Belgian art is still steeped in Dadaism and constructivism. But in November 1924, Paul Nougé, Marcel Lecomte and Camille Goemans sent 22 leaflets by mail to famous writers.
2024-04-08 22:43:50
#story #laughing #Belgium #surrealism #seriousness
