The Boghossian Foundation presents the exhibition ‘Alechinsky – Pinceau voyageur’ in the Brussels cultural centre Villa Empain. The exhibition, curated by Catherine De Braekeleer, brings together an exquisite ensemble of around a hundred works by Pierre Alechinsky and numerous archival documents.
Pierre Alechinsky, L’été 17, 2017
Etching and acrylic on paper, mounted on canvas
The journey, the freedom and the friendship
‘Alechinsky – pinceau voyageur’ is an ode to the journey, with special attention to Alechinsky’s fascination with the artistic practices and traditions of Japan and China, which have always been a source of inspiration for him.
The exhibition is also an ode to freedom, and highlights the experimental freedom of Alechinsky, who has worked throughout his career with a variety of techniques and supports: canvas, paper, paper on canvas, etchings, lithographs, enamelled lava, porcelain books. One of the exhibition’s highlights is a harpsichord painted in 1986, which can be seen in the main hall.
Laves Émaillées I-VI’ (1982-1991) in Villa Empain
Image: Boghossian Foundation
Finally, the exhibition pays tribute to friendship, with works created by Alechinsky in collaboration with artists such as Jiří Kolář and Hans Spinner, and artists’ books he worked on with authors such as Salah Stétié, Amos Kenan and Joyce Mansour.
The Boghossian Foundation
The Boghossian Foundation was founded in 1992 by Robert Boghossian and his two sons Jean and Albert, jewellers of Armenian descent. During the first fifteen years of its existence, the foundation was mainly committed to improving the living conditions of young people in Armenia and Lebanon. In 2006, Jean and Albert Boghossian took a new path: they believed that the foundation should not only pursue humanitarian goals, but also humanistic ideals. Promoting dialogue between Eastern and Western cultures became a top priority.
Villa Empain
In 2006, the Boghossian Foundation purchased the Brussels Villa Empain and in 2010 the restored villa opened its doors as a centre for art and dialogue between Eastern and Western cultures. Since then, the villa functions as a multidisciplinary space for artistic events, such as exhibitions, music, visual arts, architecture, theatre, dance, debates, literature and film.
Villa Empain is a beautiful example of Art Deco architecture. It was built in the early 1930s by architect Michel Polak, commissioned by Baron Louis Empain. The villa served successively as a private home, museum, USSR embassy and seat of the Luxembourg TV channel RTL. Afterwards the building fell into disrepair and was even partly destroyed. Since 2010 it shines as an architectural jewel. The European Union awarded the restoration of the villa the Europa Nostra Prize.
Information
The exhibition runs until March 16, 2025 and is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 11 am to 6 pm. The museum is closed on December 25 and January 1.
Address: 67 Franklin Rooseveltlaan, 1050 Brussels.
T +32 2 627 52 30
E info@boghossianfoundation.be
W www.villaempain.com/en
For more information about Brussels museums, visit the Koninklijke Musea voor Schone Kunsten van België (KMSKB) website.
Please note that the Musée Modern Museum is temporarily inaccessible due to renovation.
Villa Empain
Image: Boghossian Foundation