Spectacular works of art in contact with the sea: this is the Beaufort Triennial 2018. Photos

Six months of contemporary art along the coast of Belgium: the Beaufort Triennial returns this year, bringing the works of various international artists to nine Belgian seaside resorts from March 30 to September 30, 2018. The great event is now in its sixth edition and, after fifteen years of activity in which it has launched important artists (one name above all is that of Jan Fabre, who exhibited his celebrated Searching for Utopia here for the first time), this year knows a change in format. In fact, Beaufort 2018 will focus on a limited number of artists (eighteen, who have created as many projects), will focus on the theme of the sea and on the idea of creating a lasting relationship between the works that will be exhibited by the artists called to the major exhibition and the cities that will host them.

The artists chosen by curator Heidi Ballet are Kader Attia and Nina Baier (for the Nieuwpoort venue), Guillaume Bijl and Simon Dybbroe Møller (Middelkerke-Westende), Jos de Gruyter and Harald Thys (De Panne), Edit Dekyndt and Stief DeSmet (Ostend), Jason Dodge, Anne Duk Hee Jordan and Jean-François Fourtou (Knokke-Heist), Ryan Gander (Koksijde), Iman Issa, Basim Magdy and Katja Novitskova (Bredene), Rotor (Zeebrugge), Frederik van Simaey, Leon Vranken and Xu Zhen (De Haan-Wenduine). The Belgian coast thus becomes a large open-air contemporary art museum for six months, with the works installed directly in front of the sea.

“The works coming to the coast of Belgium for Beaufort 2018,” Heidi Ballet explains, “will immerse themselves in the bohemian character of the region. It is a very particular atmosphere that is evident in art, for example, from the surrealist works of James Ensor, and has attracted personalities such as Marvin Gaye and Stefan Zweig. Seaside places are very open and even somewhat anarchic, and people who live by the sea often look at things from a different perspective: the way they observe the world is often conditioned by the fact that they are always trying to stay in touch with what lies beyond the horizon. This is also true for the coast of Belgium. And this year’s project focuses on the contradictions of seaside places, which have provided so many insights for adventurers, surrealists, and anarchists, and also questions the relevance of sculptures in public spaces today.”

“This year’s Triennial,” says Franky De Block, councillor for tourism of the province of West-Vlaanderen, on the other hand, “is also distinguished by the work we have done together with the nine participating municipalities. We wanted to do everything in transparency so as to create a model of participation that can generate dynamism and enthusiasm in these communities. In addition, the Triennial is also a way for the Belgian coast to play a leading role as a cultural destination. After all, Beaufort brings art and the sea together, and that is unique.”

The Beaufort Triennial is organized in cooperation with the province of Weest-Vlaanderen, the municipalities of De Panne, Kooksijde, Nieuwpoort, Middelkerke, Ostend, Bredene, De Haan-Wenduine, Bruges, and Knokke-Heist, and with Westtoer, Le Soir, DM, Radio 1, and Focus WTV. For information you can visit the Beaufort 2018 website, available in four languages.

Below is a selection of images of some of the works in the exhibition.

Simon Dybbroe Møller, Monument to the Navigator (2018; bronze, 500 x 1000 x 60 cm; Middelkerke beach)

Ryan Gander, Really Shiny Things That Don’t Really Mean Anything (2018; stainless steel, 220 cm diameter; Kooksijde, Gemeenteplein)

Nina Beier, Men (2018; bronze found statues, 500 x 200 x 250 cm; Nieuwpoort, Lefebvrestraat)

Kader Attia, Holy Land (2018; forty mirrors, 190 x 83 cm each; Middelkerke Beach)

Guillaume Bijl, Sorry (2015; painted plaster, bronze, stone, 220 x 300 x 400 cm; Ostend, Leopoldpark)

Stief DeSmet, Monument for a Wullok (2018; bronze, 460 x 250 x 250 cm; Ostend, Strekdam)

Katja Novitskova, Pattern of Activation (Mutants) (2018; digital print on aluminum and steel, 180 x 600 x 200 cm; Bredene Beach)

Pictured: Simon Dybbroe Møller, Monument to the Navigator (2018; bronze, 500 x 1000 x 60 cm; Middelkerke beach)

Spectacular works of art in contact with the sea: this is the Beaufort Triennial 2018. Photos

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