Sanguine / Bloedrood

During the cultural city festival Antwerp Baroque 2018. Rubens Inspires, the M HKA, the Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp, juxtaposes the spirit of the baroque masters with the vision of contemporary top artists. With the exhibition Sanguine/Bloedrood (Blood Red), curator Luc Tuymans aims to overwhelm the visitor by placing key works from the baroque of, among others, Francisco de Zurbarán and Caravaggio, in dialogue with works by classical contemporary masters, such as On Kawara and Edward Kienholz, as well as new works by contemporary stars such as Zhang Enli, Takashi Murakami, Michaël Borremans, Sigmar Polke and Tobias Rheberger.

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Sanguine/Bloedrood. Luc Tuymans on Baroque

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(c)image: M HKA, Collection M HKA / Flemish Community

In Flanders Fields, 2000-2000

Berlinde De Bruyckere

Installation , variable dimensions

horse skin, polyester, metal, plastic, blankets

The installation In Flanders Fields, 2000 by Berlinde De Bruyckere presents a naturalistic picture of a stuffed horse that is forever frozen in an unusual pose within the space of the white cube gallery space. The horse, which in classical culture usually stands for courage, strength, and beauty, in this case is literally turned upside down and becomes an object devoid of its usual qualities.

The title of the artwork, In Flanders Fields, refers to the eponymous poem written during the First World War by Canadian physician Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae. Later the piece became one of the most cited poems about war and inspired to use of red poppies, mentioned in the poem, as a symbol of remembrance. Even though the poem was written more than 100 years ago, sadly it remains actual and could be easily perceived as a reflection of the manifestations of the injustice of war, that are unfolding right now:

‘... We are the dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie,

In Flanders fields.

…’

— John McCrae, 1915

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