Artist Frans Gentils presents

THE NIGHT WATCH. The Artist Frans Gentils presents his work “THE NIGHT WATCH” (canvas, 363x437) to the public. The Night Watch is a painting of unrivalled status. Not only as a masterpiece by Rembrandt, but also a national unifying symbol of Dutch culture. The painting is generally discussed and treated with respect, but has also been the target of aggression in the course of history. An assault on The Night Watch has even been interpreted as an assault on Dutch heritage. Such a strong symbol calls for reflection and analysis and stirs the imagination. Does this painting from 1642 still have any meaning for our modern society? On 14 June 2006, a number of renowned artists were selected to give their interpretation of Rembrandt’s The Night Watch. The only requirement set for these artists is to use the format (360 x 436 cm) of the canvas and to respect the dynamics of the composition. For the rest, they were free in their approach.

Frans Gentils. The earliest memories of Frans Gentils (°Turnhout 1951) go back to the time when he was about 4 years old – memories of the water, the reed fields, boats, the Scheldt and its indelible smell… Frans studied sculpture, painting and graphic art at the Ghent Academy of Fine Arts. Whilst studying, he broke away from the usual instructional method all too soon. He took his sketchbook and went to museums of natural history where he studied all sorts of skeletons. He was also interested in people groups, draws mime and ballet, and studies the movements of the body. For Frans Gentils, drawing means fixing memories, fossilising time: “to preserve life,” as he puts its. His form study of prehistoric animals provided him with the basic material for personifying character traits, and he transposed such primordial material to humans. He observes and reworks the forms into a new whole. He becomes a “life creator,” whereby fossil heads acquire human character traits. You can admire this masterwork every day, except Saturday and Sunday. This canvas hangs in the entrance hall of the congress centre. From 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Free admission

« Vorige pagina