This symposium, organized by both museums, brings together artists, curators, students, and the public to explore the enduring relevance of Magdalena Abakanowicz's work. Central to this will be both Abakanowicz's pioneering vision and practice and the relationship between art, politics, ecology, and architecture, placing Abakanowicz's work in a broader contemporary artistic and social dialogue. The common denominator for the symposium is “Bois le Duc”. This artwork, the largest ever created by Abakanowicz and hanging in the Provinciehuis of North Brabant, interweaves the different stories of the exhibitions and serves as a conceptual springboard for the symposium's three core themes: fiber, architecture, and ecology.
Plan your visit:
Theme 1: “Fibers”. This theme explores fiber as a source of innovation in art, both in form and socio-political context.
Theme 2: “Ecology / Human-Nature”. This theme explores the intricate connection between Magdalena Abakanowicz's oeuvre and her profound insights into human nature, which extend into contemporary post-human discourse.
Theme 3: “Art and architecture / Art and space”. This theme explores the impact of Abakanowicz's art on the perception of architecture and the understanding of space.
Program
| 11.00 a.m. | Doors open |
| 11.15 a.m. | Welcome by Jacqueline Grandjean, director of The Noordbrabants Museum, and Nathanja van Dijk, head of the TextielMuseum. |
| 11.30 a.m. | Keynote on the theme “Fiber” by Ann Coxon, curator/writer/researcher |
| 12.00 a.m. | Keynote on the theme “Ecology / Human-Nature” (keynote to be completed) |
| 12.30 a.m. | Keynote on the theme “Art and Architecture / Art and Space” by Tomasz Fudala, curator of the Muzeum Sztuki Nowoczesnej in Warsaw |
| 1:00 p.m. | lunch and opportunity to see the art collection at the Provinciehuis of North Brabant |
| 2:30 p.m. | follow-up program with alternating panels per theme |
| 4:00 p.m. | drinks |
| 4:45 p.m. | end of the program |