All these works are inspired by photographs I found in the library of the Guislain mental institute in Gent. The pictures where taken in the early 1900's by brother Ebergiste, he was the first one there who started a new didactic strategy to stimulate and uplift the boys. His method was entirely focused on stimulating the artistic and creativity of the boys, they often spend time painting, acting, reading, making music etc...
The sentence I've used on the second group translates as " Dear red heart of Jezus, we love You all so much! we wont forget that, right?" It's what brother Ebergiste responded during a lesson in recognizing red colors, after one of the boys pointed to a statue of Jezus and said that Jezus had a red heart too.
6 panels (6x 42/35cm) "Dear red heart of Jezus, we all love You so much! We wont forget that , right?..." 1928. Brother Ebergiste said this to his boys during a class where they had to recognize red colors
I've started a new serie, "Boys". (40/35cm) Portraits of young boys from early 1900, all of them psychiatric patients from a mental institution in Ghent, Belgium. A few weeks ago I could brows the archives of this institution that still excists and was blown away by what I found. The portraits here need another layer where I'll give them some text or something else, have to figure that out still...
A lot more portraits are coming, but it would be great if you could give me some comments. Thanks Karolien
would like to invite you to my exhibit at the Arium, 31 little West 12th street, NY 10014, Exhibit runs till October 21th. All the latest portraits are on display there, so if you're in the neighborhood please drop by.
