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Liza François, Lidia Szynkiewicz, Svelte Thys, Janine Vandebosch, Bénédicte Lobelle & Paulette Taecke
Summertime and the living is easy

During the dark winter months of 2021, Greet Umans from Schönfeld Gallery asked if I wanted to curate a summer exhibition. The opening would take place around the end of June 2022. At that time, the idea of a war in Ukraine was considered impossible. The prospect of a summer exhibition that would be colourful, fragrant, and both joyful and languid was very appealing. So, I eagerly and wholeheartedly said yes. Who doesn't long for the sun during the winter?

As spring approached, the once-thought-impossible war became a reality. And suddenly, the idea of a cheerful summer exhibition seemed inappropriate. Yet, at that very moment, we saw images of Ukrainians emerging from their shelters to plant flowers. It also became apparent that the sunflower is Ukraine’s national symbol, and today, it has become their very own symbol of resistance. The sunflower always turns its face towards the sunlight. This also symbolizes vitality and admiration—a sign of hope. Meanwhile, in May 2022, cultural life resumed in Kyiv with theatre performances and concerts. No matter how dark it gets, it is precisely then and for that reason that people yearn for art, culture, connection, and yes, even carefreeness. A summer exhibition that aims to be fragrant, colourful, joyful, and a bit languid no longer seemed inappropriate but necessary.

The title Summertime and the Living is Easy seemed self-evident: the somewhat melancholic undertone reminds us that even the most vibrant and exuberant summer will eventually come to an end, which is precisely why it must be fully lived and experienced. The exhibition must, therefore, capture that sense of transience, languor, and joy. The exhibition also aims to inspire across generations. The choice fell on eight female artists, each of whom, in their own way and through their own medium—photography, painting, ceramics, and fashion—captures a sense of summer, though not the summer feeling. These artists are Roxane Baines and Anne Germe, Liza François, Benedicte Lobelle, Lidia Szynkiewicz, Paulette Taecke, Svelte Thys, and Janine Vandebosch.

All eight artists will have the opportunity to dialogue with one another at Schönfeld and to astonish you. And when winter comes again, I hope their work will remind you of what Albert Camus so beautifully said: Amid winter, I finally learned that within me, there lay an invincible summer within me. This is my summer wish for You.

Caroline Pauwels

 

Location
Brussels
Date
 —

“Au milieu de l’hiver, j’apprenais enfin qu’il y avait en moi un été invincible.”

Albert Camus

Artists in this exhibition