Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, part1
1 Comments Published by Cedric Benetti on Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at 1/20/2010 09:58:00 PM.
The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium are a fascinating showcase of painting and sculpture from all various timeperiods and home to many masterpieces, as we shall see. But mostly they are housed in a selection of spaces that are quite amazingly badly designed.
In this first part we will look at the section of modern art, ranging from the late 19th century to the end of the 20th century. These collections are housed in some kind of strange underground complex created probably in the 1970s when designing airport waiting rooms were in high fashion.
But let the pictures talk for themselves for now...
The main hall of the building containing the old masters, where we have to pass in order to take an underground tunnel leading us to the modern art compound.
Jan Fabre is everywhere
Trying to find our way we seem to get lost in a sculpture section, yet it seems there is not a real sculpture section inside the museum...
Entering the underground complex for 20th century art, a dark and opressive maze of successive levels with incredibly low and ugly ceilings. I sat in doctor's waiting rooms that were more pleasant than these here.
The low ceilings are everywhere
as well as surveillance from another age
Some rare sculptures complete the selection on every floor, but the main focus is on painting here.
Who hasn't always dreamt of having his own painting with cows taking a bath?
Part of an Ensor I think
basement level -7: more modern art
a bit of Dali
a bit of Bacon
oh so this is where they keep the fire extinguisher...
a very Belgian piece
more Fabre
Is that one of Tati's trashcans from 'Playtime'?
I love walkable art
stacks
and mobiles
In conclusion, a fascinating collection in a depressing ambiance of darkness. I guess this place was left out of the big museum boom of the 90s and early 2000s. It could really have used a makeover.
In the second part, we go on a visit to the old master paintings in the main building, where priceless masterpieces are hung on pieces of plywood that look like a concession stand at a business fair.
Stay tuned
Stay tuned
Labels: Art, Brussels, Interiors, MUSEUMS, painting, photography
Loved part 1 and 2, but am shocked at the state of the interiors. Need to start a fundraiser, sell some less famous(unpopular) pieces to fix the place up. There are parties and balls in NYC, DC and L.A. and S.F. to raise monies from the hoi polloi for just these things. Some take Venice as their fundraising cause, others museums. You'd be great at it.