The Ensor Year, which began late last year in Ostend, is moving into its second phase in Antwerp.
Four autumn exhibitions at KMSKA, FotoMuseum, ModeMuseum, and Museum Plantin-Moretus will each highlight different aspects of James Ensor and his influence on contemporary art, starting on Saturday, 28 September.
Although Ensor is often associated with Ostend, KMSKA in Antwerp houses the world’s largest collection of his works. The most significant of the four Antwerp exhibitions is at the museum in Zuid. ‘Beyond Impressionism’ showcases how James Ensor, initially a realist, evolved by drawing inspiration from various movements and artists while simultaneously forging his own path.
KMSKA has curated works from impressionist masters such as Monet and Manet, as well as later influences like Redon and Nolde. These masterpieces are thematically linked with Ensor’s works from the museum’s collection.
“This exhibition allows us to follow Ensor’s extraordinary artistic development,” says curator Herwig Todts. “Never before have his technique, themes, and turbulent journey been studied in this way. We see that Ensor’s essence lies in his unpredictable creativity, leading him down ever-new paths.”
At Museum Plantin-Moretus, the focus is on the young Ensor and his experimentation with etching techniques, inspired by older masters. FotoMuseum is hosting a solo exhibition of American artist Cindy Sherman, known for her critical work through masquerades, much like Ensor.
Finally, ModeMuseum highlights make-up and hair artists, the “painters of fashion,” and how Ensor’s ideas about masquerades, coquetry, seduction, deception, artifice, and ephemerality continue to influence today’s trends.
