Spreken

Artist

Berlinde de Bruyckere

Born in Ghent, Belgium

Early Life and Influences

Berlinde de Bruyckere was born in Ghent, Belgium, in 1964. Her father worked as a butcher, an experience that instilled in her a fascination with the human body and its vulnerability—a preoccupation that would become central to her artistic vision. Growing up in Ghent’s Catholic school district, where her family resided, profoundly shaped her worldview and fostered a sensitivity to religious iconography and symbolism. This formative environment fueled her interest in exploring themes of mortality, suffering, and transcendence through art. Initially hesitant about pursuing an academic career, she skillfully convinced her parents to allow her enrollment at the Sint Jans Hospital Art Academy, securing funding for her studies by offering drawing lessons—a testament to her determination and resourcefulness.

Early Artistic Development

De Bruyckere’s early artistic explorations focused on assemblage sculptures crafted from stone, wood, steel, and concrete. These pieces reflected a minimalist aesthetic influenced by artists like Isaak Rosenberg and Marcel Broodthaers, demonstrating her engagement with conceptual art movements of the time. However, she soon transitioned away from this style, recognizing its limitations in conveying the emotional depth she sought to express. Driven by a desire to delve deeper into human experience, she began experimenting with wax sculptures—a medium that allowed for nuanced textural explorations and captured the fragility of organic forms. This pivotal shift marked the beginning of her exploration of figurative sculpture and solidified her commitment to confronting difficult subjects.

Signature Style and Recurring Themes

Berlinde de Bruyckere’s distinctive artistic style is characterized by meticulous attention to detail—particularly surface textures—which serve as conduits for conveying profound emotional resonance. Before embarking on large-scale installations, she meticulously crafted scale models of her artworks, prioritizing conceptual precision over spontaneous sketching. Her sculptures frequently incorporate animal skins and hair, reflecting a fascination with materiality and confronting viewers with unsettling representations of the human body. Notably, her use of blankets—often draped over figures—symbolizes both warmth and protection but simultaneously underscores vulnerability and fear—a motif that echoes themes explored in works addressing conflicts such as Kosovo and Rwanda. She meticulously considers props that connect to her artistic narrative, enriching the viewer’s understanding of the artwork's significance.

Major Achievements and Recognition

De Bruyckere gained international acclaim for her sculptural installations, particularly those exploring the concept of “City of Refuge,” which addressed issues of displacement and resilience. Her participation in the Venice Biennale in 2003 solidified her position as a leading voice in contemporary art, showcasing her ability to engage complex philosophical questions through evocative visual language. Subsequent exhibitions at institutions like Leopold Museum, Museo Nacional De Arte Antiga, Fondation Phi, and Hauser & Wirth have further cemented her reputation for artistic innovation and emotional depth. Her work has been recognized for its exploration of themes related to human suffering and vulnerability, as well as its engagement with religious iconography and mythology—elements that contribute to its enduring power and relevance.

Historical Significance

Berlinde de Bruyckere’s artistic practice stands apart from many contemporary artists by confronting viewers with visceral representations of mortality and decay—a deliberate challenge to conventional aesthetic norms. Influenced by the legacies of European Old Masters and Christian iconography, she employs materials derived from animal corpses—a bold gesture that underscores her commitment to exploring uncomfortable truths about human existence. Her sculptures resonate with a timeless quality, reflecting ongoing dialogues between art and philosophy concerning questions of identity, trauma, and transcendence. De Bruyckere’s work continues to inspire artists and critics alike, cementing her place as one of the most significant sculptors of our time—a testament to her unwavering dedication to artistic experimentation and emotional honesty.

Museum

15th Istanbul Biennial

On show in Istanbul, Turkey

A City as a Canvas: The Soul of the 15th Istanbul Biennial

In the autumn of 2017, the streets of Istanbul did not merely host an art exhibition; they became a living, breathing organism of inquiry. The 15th Istanbul Biennial, curated by the visionary artist duo Elmgreen & Dragset, transformed the sprawling urban landscape into a profound meditation on the concept of

home

. Moving far beyond the sterile confines of traditional white-cube galleries, the biennial invited the public to reconsider the very fabric of their surroundings. Under the evocative guiding question,

“Is a good neighbour…?”

, the exhibition dismantled the boundaries between private sanctuary and public existence, forcing a dialogue between the intimacy of domestic life and the vast, often turbulent, realities of global migration and social displacement.

The brilliance of this edition lay in its architectural choreography, where the venues themselves acted as vessels of meaning. The sleek, contemporary lines of the Istanbul Museum of Modern Art provided a sharp contrast to the historical weight of the Pera Museum, creating a rhythmic tension between the new and the old. Yet, the true magic occurred in the unexpected corners of the city—within the steam-filled echoes of ancient hammams, abandoned industrial structures, and sun-drenched public squares. By repurposing these spaces, the biennial stripped away the elitism often associated with contemporary art, making the profound themes of belonging and community accessible to every passerby, turning the entire metropolis into a shared stage for emotional confrontation.

A Tapestry of Multimedia Mastery

The collection of works presented during this landmark event was as diverse as the city itself, weaving together a tapestry of multimedia mastery. Visitors encountered immersive installations that physically altered their perception of space, alongside sculptures that oscillated between monumental presence and delicate intimacy. The curation brought together a global constellation of talent, including the hauntingly beautiful works of

Louise Bourgeois

and the poignant social documentations of

Sim Chi Yin

.

Each piece served as a thread in a larger narrative regarding the precarity of modern life; whether through the lens of video art, photography, or performance, the artworks challenged viewers to confront their own biases and recognize the shared humanity that exists even within our most fragmented societies. Ultimately, the legacy of the 15th Istanbul Biennial resides in its ability to foster a deep, lasting empathy. It was an exhibition that refused to offer easy answers, choosing instead to dwell in the complexity of the human condition, leaving behind only the haunting, beautiful realization that home is not merely a physical structure, but an intricate web of relationships, memories, and the enduring hope for a better neighbour.