The Kunsthaus NRW in Kornelimünster is currently showcasing contemporary Belgian art in an exhibition titled "Trans Europa Express," featuring seven young but highly successful Belgian artists. The exhibition is housed in a former abbey monastery, where ancient blue stone floors, high ceilings, and ceiling paintings create an impressive and imposing atmosphere that serves as an artwork in itself.
Curators Elke Kania and Marcel Schumacher embarked on a deliberate discovery tour to select the featured artists for this cross-border exhibition. "You work your way forward, contact colleagues at museums, and research in galleries. You look at a lot of work and also visit artists in their studios. Eventually, you have to make decisions because we couldn't include everyone we found fascinating," explains Marcel Schumacher. The curators ultimately chose seven artists who are all relatively young but quite successful in Belgium.
The resulting exhibition is remarkably diverse, primarily because the artists work in completely different mediums and styles. "We were naturally curious whether there was a theme that currently occupies the young generation? A particular technique? Photography? Film? We then discovered that painting and various image techniques play a role, and we followed that path," Schumacher notes.
At the beginning of the exhibition, visitors encounter an unexpected art form: colorful tapestries by Victor Verhelst featuring intricate patterns that reveal new details even after prolonged viewing. Verhelst is described as an artist who draws his motifs from computer games, graphics, and comics, incorporating them playfully while also addressing current issues like environmental protection.
Visitors are taken on a journey with the artist duo Deborah Bowmann, whose installation "The Businessman Who Flies with the Clouds" creates an immersive experience. Lights begin to glow and ambient sounds envelop the viewer, creating a captivating sensory environment.
The exhibition also features works by artist Louise Delanghe, who tragically died in a traffic accident on Friday night - a shock that deeply affected the curators. Her art continues to live on at the Kunsthaus, including a painting of a large female figure that is imposing and rendered in darker tones, playfully surrounded by geometric forms.
The monastery's spacious rooms provide ample opportunity for all the artworks to make their impact. Decisions about which room suits which artist and how the interplay with the building can function are made in collaboration with the artists themselves. "I'm always surprised that artists always find the place exciting - it's not the classic white cube. There are contrasts here, you can engage with the space and show the break between traditional architecture and today's art," Schumacher observes.
Kristof Santys' enormous soda bottle painting serves as an excellent example of this dynamic. The modern, almost kitschy image takes on a different quality within the ancient walls and was created specifically for this exhibition. The contrast between contemporary pop art and medieval architecture creates a striking visual dialogue that enhances both elements.
"Trans Europa Express" offers visitors an excursion into the Belgian art scene and will remain on display until early February, providing art enthusiasts with an opportunity to explore the vibrant contemporary art movement emerging from Belgium.
