M HKA Ensembles

Photography

Collection: Courtesy Galerie Van De Weghe, Antwerp.

"The second action was in reaction to ʻRubens Yearʼ. The city had pumped 'millions' into the project, but there was no attempt to involve young artists or for young people in general, and we didn't like that. The group that took part in this action was larger, some seventeen of us. Walter Van Beirendonck participated too. We followed a similar scenario as previously, and arrived one after the other at the Rubens House, where we carried out our protest. Dressed in our 'punk outfits' we definitely stood out, and we focused on disturbing visitors out of their 'museum behavior'. For instance, if a visitor stood admiringly in front of a painting, we'd go and stand just in front. Or else we'd take up position for some minutes right alongside a museum guard. Jan Jansens bought postcards at the front-desk and then tore them to shreds. Myself, Dolf and my wife-to-be were picked up by the gendarmerie; the rest ran off as best they could. They didn't hold us too long. After all, what could they charge us with? We were just visiting an exhibition." - Narcisse Tordoir