Johan Creten is part of the Beaufort Triennial, at Koksijde, Belgium.
The Province of West Flanders and Westtoer are launching the eighth Beaufort Triennial. Curator Els Wuyts invited 18 national and international artists who created 18 artworks: two in each participating coastal municipality. "The theme for this Triennial is the Fabric of Life," says curator Els Wuyts. "A metaphor for a natural connection, a weave of different lines, directions and patterns. A starting point from where we can re-examine our local environment and link it to possible images." The eighth Beaufort Triennial will take place from 27 March to 3 November 2024.
This time, Beaufort24 proposes focusing even more intensely on the location of the artworks.
Curator Els Wuyts: "The various locations in the different coastal municipalities are ideal for visualising certain narratives. They provide an opportunity for sometimes invisible legends to speak, for us to find traces of certain historical events or to highlight themes that concern us. Just as more than one narrative may be incorporated in a grand monument or intimate work of art, multifaceted opinions or undiscovered values may emerge."
This is a new way for visitors to discover the coast. There are also the classic ingredients of Beaufort Triennial: the accessibility of the project, its coastline distribution and the eventual expansion of an outstanding sculpture park. At the end of the Triennial, there will be 50 works of art in Beaufort Sculpture Park.
Beaufort24 offers a different perspective
Curator Els Wuyts: "The exhibition is accessible, tangible or unruly and has a meaningful impact on existing conceptions, memories and thought processes. The sculptures and installations have shifted slightly more inland, along the coastal tramway that connects port areas, village centres, markets, dykes, fields and parks. The exhibition takes you to a crossroads, a rolling dune, a quiet area or a simple roundabout, lighthouse or waterfront. Beaufort24 stirs the emotions, responds to all life along the Belgian coast whilst having the ability to strike universal chords. They are visual invitations to inspiring encounters and possible worlds."
The unique experience of Beaufort24
The Province of West Flanders is once again supporting this unique art project.
Sabien Lahaye-Battheu: "Beaufort24 is the eighth Triennial, which always succeeds in attracting thousands of people from home and abroad to the coast. It enables Westtoer to present the coast internationally as a contemporary destination, where nature, gastronomy and contemporary visual arts play an important role," said Sabien Lahaye-Battheu, president of Westtoer and provincial delegate for tourism in West Flanders. “From the many requests we have received, there is clearly huge interest in this Triennial already. The added value of a big public event like Beaufort Triennial is incredibly beneficial to the entire coastal region."
