Portfolio : 1 : Estate Philippe Vandenberg by LIGHTMACHINE agency

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ESTATE PHILIPPE VANDENBERG

Estate

Roadmap, archives & research

ESTATE PHILIPPE VANDENBERG

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Philippe Vandenberg 6 augustus 1952 – 29 juni 2009 “ Avoir été dangereux un millième de seconde ,   avoir été beau un millième de millième de seconde ,   être cela ou heureux , ou n’importe quoi ,   puis se reposer ,  et quoi de plus ? ” Jean Genet

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ESTATE PHILIPPE VANDENBERG The Estate Philippe Vandenberg, run by his three children, intends to foster an appreciation for the work of artist Philippe Vandenberg on an international level. The estate focuses on three areas: managing the artist’s heritage and studio-space, facilitating research efforts around the artist’s oeuvre, and making the oeuvre accessible through an ongoing dialogue with artists, curators and the public. The children of Philippe Vandenberg form the nucleus of the Estate. Depending on the project, be it an exhibition, a publication or a research program, they call upon a pool of specialists from different fields: museum directors, curators, art critics, art historians, researchers, visual artists, filmmakers, architects, collectors and entrepreneurs to collaborate with the estate. The children consider themselves only as intermediaries and want to remain in the background. In the long run, they hope to be listed in a professional structure embedded in the international networks of contemporary art.

THE ARTISTIC HERITAGE In its initial phase, the estate considers it of vital importance to collect and catalogue the artistic heritage of Philippe Vandenberg. This includes the studio with his works, the texts written by the artist, his visual and literary sources of inspiration, the publications and films about his oeuvre, and the administrative archives he initiated. By establishing a complete overview of the artist’s heritage, the Estate constructs an ideal starting point for a sustainable long-term vision. The Estate intends to keep the studio of Philippe Vandenberg in its original condition without restricting a dynamic approach to the space. The original working area— the easel, the display of paintings on the wall and the visual documentation that inspired the final works— is entirely kept intact, suspended in time, a tribute to the painter. The archives make an integral part of the studio. They grew organically through a well-defined work process. Only by respecting the complexity of the artistic process, can one acknowledge and fully appreciate the origins of the oeuvre.

Conservation, restoration & acquisiton  The conservation of the works is one of the most urgent responsibilities of the Estate. In order to strengthen its archival function, the studio space has been slightly restructured. In order to optimize the preservation of paintings and drawings, all necessary security and climatologic measurements were taken. Architect Mo Vandenberghe designed exclusive furniture to protect the paintings and to facilitate access to the work. Additionally, a restoration report was made up for any damaged works, in consultation with the Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage (KIK). Along with these activities, an archivist has made an inventory of all the works, documents and materials in the studio. Currently, the estate is in the process of compiling a full inventory of artworks belonging to private and public collections. Of each period of his oeuvre, Philippe Vandenberg has kept major works in his own collection. Therefore, the works in the studio provide a useful overview of the different artistic stages of the artist. Unfortunately, some periods are underrepresented. The estate intends to fill in the gaps by repurchasing important works that could complete the overview of the oeuvre.

INFORMATION CENTRE Establishing an information centre, the estate will focus on both the broadening and deepening of the knowledge about the artist and his work. This will enable the estate to disclose the oeuvre to the professional art world and the general public in a thoughtful and efficient manner. The further development of the artist’s archives is the foundation of the estate’s information centre. To stimulate scholarly research, the Estate is in dialogue with the universities to set up graduate research projects centered on the work of Philippe Vandenberg.

New interpretations Philippe Vandenberg hoped that after his death his works would keep circulating. Respecting this wish, the estate has decided to focus on new international exhibition projects. Establishing dialogues between the works of Philippe Vandenberg and other artists, the Estate intends to stimulate new interpretations of his oeuvre, keeping the artist’s heritage alive. The estate believes that the works of Philippe Vandenberg are more pertinent today than ever, and hopes to continue to further the artist’s legacy on an international level.

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CONTACT HĂŠlĂ¨ne Vandenberghe Guillaume Vandenberghe Mo Vandenberghe 0032 485 97 66 91 info@philippevandenberg.be www.philippevandenberg.be

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studio Ghent, 1988-2005

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