Image: Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst, Ghent
The programme is presented as a conversation about the pioneering exhibition 'Chambres d'Amis'.
The discussion will draw on memories from people who were involved in different capacities, including residents, artists and other participants connected with the exhibition. Their recollections will address the exhibition and its importance for their private lives, the city of Ghent and the history of exhibitions more generally.
The speakers are Chantal De Smet, identified as a resident; Dirk Pauwels, a former 'Chambres d'Amis' staff member and photographer; critic Bart Verschaffel; and Daniel Buren, a participating artist. The announcement likewise identifies Buren as an artist, De Smet as a resident, Pauwels as a former staff member and Verschaffel as a critic.
Angela M. Bartholomew will moderate the debate and is an assistant professor of contemporary art history at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Her dissertation, 'Disruptive Attitudes: Artists Counter the Art of Exhibiting in the Low Countries (1985-1991)', focuses on strategies developed by artists in the 1980s to retain control over the presentation of their work, including strategies used during 'Chambres d'Amis'.
The debate is scheduled for Sunday 18 October 2026 at 15:00 in the S.M.A.K. auditorium, and it will be held in English. Admission is free, with reservations required by email at reservation@smak.be.
