Yesterday I went to the Wiels Arts Centre in Brussels to check out the annual exhibition featuring Walter Sweenan's work. Sweenan is an artist who follows the surrealist tradition of Belgian painters. However, his art is significantly less coherent than other artists such as Magritte or Delvaux- much of it apears as scribbles and blotches of colour. Sweenan is obviously very intelligent with subtle allusions to science and other concepts in his work. His bilingual upbringing (parents were Dutch speaking but raised him in French, a rather bipartisan act) also features in his work. I mostly enjoyed his doodles which were like a stream of conciousness rather than the grand pictures mounted on the walls. It was nevertheless worthwhile and some of his pictures demonstrated a very good sense of humour!
Upstairs another exhibit of animal scupltures crafted from soil and mud by a Kosovo artist, Petrit Halilaj. His work was truly wonderful at exemplifying the character of each animal through posing and facial expression. It reminded me of the great examples of taxidermy I have seen in the London Natural History museum! Halila also has a sense of humour with one piece consisting of a small owl perched below a ill-intended eagle.
Finally, the Wiels building was very nice. I was particularly impressed after a visit to their well stocked book shop and wholesome cafe!
A bientot,
Niamh
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