Artist's Talk: Luc Tuymans
Artist’s Talk
February 28, 2017
06:30 pm
– 07:30 pm
moderated by Peter Swinnen
in English, free admission
The lecture is part of a larger lecture series, with the topic I Prefer Not To. Architecture – the ‘YES’ profession par excellence – can deeply and critically learn from the culture of ‘NO’.
What if the architect would systemically cultivate the uncomfortable yet urgent art of saying ‘NO’? How many architects really acknowledge that declaring ‘NO’ to irrelevant briefs or other impertinent opportunities is a fundamental social responsibility of the pro¬fession? And can this ethical ‘NO’ be considered productive for the public good? The self-evident though elusive answer is: ‘YES’, of course. This small-scale series offers an inclusive stage for architects, artists and designers who have claimed ‘NO’ at a crucial point in their professional career. It wishes to put to the fore the rewarding but scarce praxis of critical abstinence.
Luc Tuymans studied fine arts in Brussels and Antwerp from 1972 to 1982, and then devoted himself to art history which he studied at the Vrije Universiteit in Brussels from 1982 to 1986. Tuymans has been one of the most influential and sought-after artists of his generation since his participation at Documenta IX and 11, and his contribution to the Belgian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale 2001.
Peter Swinnen studied architecture in London and Brussels. He works as an architect in his own architecture firm CRIT in Brussels and conducts PhD research at the KUL University in Brussels on the political praxis of architecture. 2013, he curated The Ambition of the Territory at the Venice Architecture Bienniale. Since 2016 he has been a guest lecturer at ETH Zurich.
in English, free admission
The lecture is part of a larger lecture series, with the topic I Prefer Not To. Architecture – the ‘YES’ profession par excellence – can deeply and critically learn from the culture of ‘NO’.
What if the architect would systemically cultivate the uncomfortable yet urgent art of saying ‘NO’? How many architects really acknowledge that declaring ‘NO’ to irrelevant briefs or other impertinent opportunities is a fundamental social responsibility of the pro¬fession? And can this ethical ‘NO’ be considered productive for the public good? The self-evident though elusive answer is: ‘YES’, of course. This small-scale series offers an inclusive stage for architects, artists and designers who have claimed ‘NO’ at a crucial point in their professional career. It wishes to put to the fore the rewarding but scarce praxis of critical abstinence.
Luc Tuymans studied fine arts in Brussels and Antwerp from 1972 to 1982, and then devoted himself to art history which he studied at the Vrije Universiteit in Brussels from 1982 to 1986. Tuymans has been one of the most influential and sought-after artists of his generation since his participation at Documenta IX and 11, and his contribution to the Belgian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale 2001.
Peter Swinnen studied architecture in London and Brussels. He works as an architect in his own architecture firm CRIT in Brussels and conducts PhD research at the KUL University in Brussels on the political praxis of architecture. 2013, he curated The Ambition of the Territory at the Venice Architecture Bienniale. Since 2016 he has been a guest lecturer at ETH Zurich.