Nothing is perfect! Just think of the scarcity of resources, climate change, world conflicts, refugee influxes, and the terrorist uppercuts we continue to fail to see coming until it is too late. Still, that vague dream lingers of a world that can be bettered through sustainable development. The role of art in this situation is perhaps that of the prompter in theater. Despite the earbuds that decorate newsreaders, security personnel, cyclists, and even stand-up comedians, this character continues to speak to the imagination. The prompter follows all the actors and occasionally whispers to them. A soft voice—that of art—can also be influential. The introduction of another timbre or pitch creates a polyphonic sound. That is what the exhibition Coup de Ville aims to achieve every three years in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium.
Coup de Ville is an initiative of WARP, a contemporary arts platform. WARP created its own artistic model based on long-term relations with artists starting from the encounters and feedback since 2007 at the annual international Artist Village for young artists.
From September 9 until October 9, 2016, Coup de Ville immerses the city of Sint-Niklaas. Contemporary art occupies the city streets, parks, houses, and inhabitants with intensely topical art.
35 artists, from both Belgium and all corners of the world, use their works of art to take you for a walk all around the city center. The invited artists have allowed themselves be inspired not only by the poetry of everyday life but also by the great challenges of our time. What do classic expert skills mean in an era dominated by the digital revolution? How do you process the echoes of the past in all of that? The artists use drawings, paintings, sculptures, soundscapes, photography, film, and opinionated interventions to create a dialogue with the environment. As a result, the visitors get an intimate view of art, architecture, and the people behind the facades.
This edition focuses on themes such as privacy, rituals and masks, identity in hyper-digital times, not only in bright spaces but also in wastelands, dark rooms on hidden internet places, and less aesthetic city spaces. Opposites attract, and the artists interact with the space to create new, site-specific art works.
The carefully constructed course not only gives the visitor the chance to discover art but also allows them to access historically important locations and forgotten stories, townhouses, surprising gardens, intimate private salons, and hotspots of the future. In short; the visitor surrenders to the dynamics of the city tissue.
Coup de Ville is the cultural must of late summer, as well as a creative day-trip with children, friends and family.
Artists
Michaël Aerts (BE), Katja Aufleger (DE), Leyla Aydoslu (TR / DE), Younes Baba-Ali (MA), Tim Baute (BE), Clare Benson (US), Ignace Cami (BE), Anton Cotteleer (BE), Sylvie De Meerleer (BE), Paul De Vylder (BE), Ella de Búrca (IE), Karin Ferrari (AU), Buntu Fihla (ZA), Joris Ghekiere (BE), Wieteke Heldens (NL), Žiga Kariž (SI), Fatou Kandé Senghor (SN), Catriona Leahy (IE), Dana Levy (IL), Sanjeev Maharjan (NP), Erik Nerinckx (BE), Mairead O’ hEocha (IE), Joris Perdieus (BE), Stefan Peters (BE), Bart Prinsen (BE), Rashanna Rashied-Walker (US), Maria Tsagkari (GR), Katerina Undo (GR), Jonas Vansteenkiste (BE), Niko Van Stichel (BE), Simón Vega (SV), Wim Wauman (BE), Chantal Yzermans (BE), Dirk Zoete (BE)
About WARP
WARP is a not-for-profit organization, which promotes modern arts and culture in the Waasland area. It is based at Sint-Niklaas, Belgium. Promotion is carried out both through informal and professional meetings such as exhibitions, lectures, concerts, performances, portfolio days, summer schools, as well as lots of artistically educational activities. The organization pledges to provide an artistic impulse for the area and to connect with wider cultural networks. WARP is celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2016.