Full Description
The role of photography in Belgian visual art.
'Conceptual, Surrealist, Pictorial' is the first in-depth study of the use of photography by Belgian artists from the 1960s until the early 1990s. During these three decades, photography generally underwent a major evolution with regard to its status as a gallery-focused fine art practice. Liesbeth Decan explores ten representative case studies, which are contextualized within and compared with contemporary international artistic trends. Successively, she addresses the pioneering use of photography within Conceptual art (represented by Marcel Broodthaers, Jacques Charlier, and Jef Geys), the heyday of Photoconceptualism in Belgium (represented by Jacques Lennep, Jacques Lizène, Philippe Van Snick, and Danny Matthys), and the transition from a conceptual use of photography towards a more pictorial, tableau-like approach of the medium (represented by Jan Vercruysse, Ria Pacquée, and Dirk Braeckman). Ultimately, the selected case studies reveal that photo-based art in Belgium appears to be characterized by a unique uniting of elements particularly from Conceptual art, Surrealism, and the pictorial tradition.
This publication is GPRC-labeled (Guaranteed Peer-Reviewed Content).
Contents
Acknowledgements Introduction I. The 1960s: A Pioneering Photoconceptualism I.1 Introduction I.2 Marcel Broodthaers: From Surrealism to Conceptual Art I.3 Jacques Charlier: Photography in Socially Embedded Art I.4 Jef Geys: Archival, Vernacular and Multi-Reproduced Images I.5 Conclusion: A Photoconceptualism with Origins in the Everyday II. The 1970s: Photoconceptualism's Heyday II.1 Introduction II.2 Jacques Lennep: The Artist-Curator II.3 Jacques Lizène: Mediocrity as a Basic Concept II.4 Philippe Van Snick: Dynamic Photo Series II.5 Danny Matthys: Explorations of Time and Place II.6 Conclusion: A Hybrid Photoconceptualism with Surrealist and Pictorial Roots III. The 1980s: Towards the Photographic Tableau III.1 Introduction III.2 Jan Vercruysse: Portraits of the Artist III.3 The Characters of Ria Pacquée III.4 Dirk Braeckman: Multi-Mediating Pictures III.5 Conclusion: Photographic Tableaux with a Surrealist Undertone Conclusion Color section Appendices Notes Bibliography
