Kunst in de Wijk

Stephen Verstraete Bazuin – Volksplaats – curator Beatrijs Eemans
Loek Grootjans Ergens is het waar – Guldenboomplein – curator Jan De Nys
Vincen Beeckman Bewoners van de maand – rechteroever (escargotkraam) – curator Netwerk

Kunst in de Wijk, an initiative of the City of Aalst, is a community-forming art-integration project. It brings art to the streets for the residents, passers-by, casual visitors, and motorists.

Kunst in de Wijk aims to animate dead zones in the city with art that communicates to the neighbourhood. The local residents come in close contact with the artworks that responds to the environment. The dialogue between the local residents and the artists is equally important as the final result.

This year Netwerk serves as curator for one of the three Kunst in de Wijk projects and for the occasion invites the artist Vincen Beeckman for a project in Aalst’s right bank neighbourhood. Beeckman has, through such social and artistic projects for the art centre Recylart (Marolles, Brussels), a lot of experience working with diverse communities.

As a photographer he wants to schedule meetings with people from the neighbourhood where portraits will be made, allowing members of the community to express their individual identities. Each month two new portraits will be displayed in public spaces, over a period of three-years. Anyone who lives in the neighbourhood is welcome to participate.