Artist: Lysandre Begijn
Exhibition title: Archaic Asylum
Venue: Kunsthal Gent, Ghent, Belgium
Date: January 26 – May 5, 2024
Photography: Michiel De Cleene / courtesy the artist and Kunsthal Gent
With the solo exhibition Archaic Asylum, Ghent artist Lysandre Begijn uses nature as a starting point. In the pavilion of Kunsthal Gent, she creates a ‘sleeping garden’, where the seasons are cyclical, with moments of flowering and growth as well as death and sleep. Nature becomes a symbolic translation of the condition humaine.
Man’s psychological fragility and human suffering is a recurring theme in Begijn’s work. Fascinated by Carl Jung’s theories, especially his interpretation of dreams and theories on the subconscious, her work often expresses states of mind such as fear, madness, boredom, arrogance, apathy, sadness or anxiety.
The artist focuses on the idea that a face reveals man’s true essence. However, the material flatness of a face is often broken by three-dimensional sculptural elements that reflect the indefinability of the human being.
Her visual language refers to an archaic visual register, where Greek mythology as well as Cretan and Etruscan art are reflected. Archaic, from the title, refers to an ancient culture where we see the first foundations and forms of structures in language, image and culture. For Begijn, it means a return to her instincts. And nature plays an important role in this, as it is at the root of these archaic foundations.Asylum refers to a refuge. A shelter or enclosed place that stands alone, a biotope. It is often used as a refuge for refugees or people with mental health problems. A place where people in need are taken in and cared for.
Lysandre Begijn is a Ghent-based artist who works with different media, ranging from painting to sculpture and installation. After studying psychology, she started her artistic practice at KASK, School of Arts in Ghent. Her work has already been shown in cities such as Los Angeles, London, Montreal, New York and Brussels.
This exhibition is located in and around the pavilion KHG#3 above the cinema of Kunsthal Gent. IMPORTANT: This show is only accessible via stairs.
At the same time, Sahjan Kooner’s exhibition opens in the hall church.
