Chambres d’amis (Re-Edition)
Philippe Van Cauteren
Mer & Borgerhoff & Lamberigts, 2026
€40,00
This publication is a reissue of the original catalogue Chambres d’amis from 1986.
In 2026, S.M.A.K., the museum of contemporary art in Ghent, celebrates forty years of Chambres d’Amis, an exhibition that made history in 1986. At that time, contemporary art was not shown within the context of the museum, but in private homes scattered throughout Ghent.
Forty years later, S.M.A.K. looks back on this special project, but also looks ahead. Since Chambres d’Amis, S.M.A.K. has organised several exhibitions in the urban space, such as Over The Edges (2000) and TRACK (2012). From each of these three exhibitions, an artist is invited to show the works from Chambres d’Amis, which are part of the museum collection, in a new museum setting. Heike Pallanca, Haim Steinbach, and Susanne Kriemann each design a museum room, or ‘chambre’, based on their own artistic practice. In this way, the works acquire a contemporary meaning that aligns with their original concept as well as with today’s visitor.
The exhibition is framed by a documentary presentation highlighting the historical importance of Chambres d’amis, centering on the work Le Décor et son Double by Daniel Buren. In close collaboration with the Herbert Foundation, this iconic work is being re-installed, around which the archival presentation unfolds.
ISBN: 9789493521728
