In the subsoil of flesh: The sculptures of Berlinde De Bruyckere

Berlinde De Bruyckere
, Liggende - Arcangelo I, 2022-2023
2023. 
Wax, animal hair, textile, lino, zinc, wood, iron, epoxy
, 146 x 256 x 105 cm / 57 1/2 x 100 3/4 x 41 3/8 in
. © Berlinde De Bruyckere. 
Courtesy the artist and Hauser & Wirth
. Photo: Mirjam Devriendt

By MANUELA ACCINNO July 9, 2024

Berlinde De Bruyckere's art unfolds like a dark and mysterious labyrinth, where every thread of thought is intertwined with matter, flesh and human suffering. His works stand as a mirror of our existential condition. De Bruyckere's sculptures, made of materials such as wax, animal hair and wood, exude a deep tension and suffering, evoking the fragility and ephemerality of humanity. The contorted and deformed bodies that populate her works speak to us of a distorted, imperfect beauty that reflects the complexity of existence, split between noble aspirations and unspeakable ugliness. His works are imbued with a profound spirituality, reminiscent of Dostoyevsky's visions of the condition of mankind.

‘Berlinde De Bruyckere. City of Refuge III’, Abbazia di San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice, 20 April – 24 November 2024. Collateral Event of the 60th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia © Berlinde De Bruyckere. Courtesy the artist and Hauser & Wirth. Photo: Mirjam Devriendt

De Bruyckere, like a dark prophet, reaches into the abyss of the human soul, exploring the darkest recesses of existence and questioning our certainties and lies. In this journey into the murkiest depths of the human soul, the artist invites us to peer inside ourselves, to confront our innermost fears, our contradictions, our fragilities. His works force us to expose ourselves, to reveal the truth buried in our deepest selves. With De Bruyckere we enter a borderland, where beauty and ugliness merge, where pain and hope embrace. On this journey together with the artist and Dostoevsky, we are faced with an immanent choice: accept suffering as an inescapable part of our lives, or reject it and continue in illusion.

Until 24 November 2024, in Venice, it is possible to immerse oneself in the Belgian artist's new works specially conceived for the majestic Abbey of San Giorgio Maggiore, one of the jewels of Palladian architecture in the lagoon city. The exhibition entitled 'City of Refuge III' is the result of a collaboration with the Benedicti Claustra Onlus, a non-profit organisation of the Benedictine Community, led by Carmelo A. Grasso together with Ory Dessau and Peter Buggenhout, who form the curatorial team. The works on display, signed by artist De Bruyckere, blend with the imposing architecture of the church, offering the visitor a unique experience that moves between the sacred and the material. 

Berlinde De Bruyckere, 
Arcangelo glass dome V, 2024
2024. 
Wax, glass, wood, animal hair, rope, iron, epoxy, 
65 x 50.5 x 42 cm / 25 5/8 x 19 7/8 x 16 1/2 in
. © Berlinde De Bruyckere
. Courtesy the artist and Hauser & Wirth
. Photo: Mirjam Devriendt

Sculpted archangels enliven the nave and side aisles, a striking installation is placed in the Sacristy, while along the corridor of the Monastery Gallery are display cases containing sculptural works in wood. "City of Refuge III", the title inspired by the well-known Nick Cave song, is the third in a series of exhibitions by the artist that thematize art as a place of refuge and shelter: a theme accentuated here by the spiritual intensity of the place. WM