0:00:00.776,0:00:02.973 At the time, in 2013, 0:00:03.175,0:00:05.644 I was studying in Austria, in Vienna, at the Academy of Fine Arts. 0:00:06.307,0:00:07.722 I was regularly returning to Belgium. 0:00:07.722,0:00:12.936 It had only been a year or two since [br]I had started to present my work there, 0:00:12.936,0:00:17.165 and I had just begun making connections [br]with a few curators and figures in the art world. 0:00:17.165,0:00:19.773 However, my work was still relatively unknown in Belgium. 0:00:19.773,0:00:25.022 This opportunity therefore presented itself [br]as the ideal occasion to showcase what I was doing. 0:00:25.022,0:00:28.590 What particularly appealed to me was that the selection process [br]was based on the submission of a portfolio. 0:00:28.590,0:00:30.996 It wasn't about personal connections or informal networking; 0:00:30.996,0:00:35.013 I didn’t have to actively seek people out.[br]Instead, I could simply submit a file containing my work, 0:00:35.013,0:00:39.218 and the decision would be made solely on the basis of its content[br]whether the jury found it compelling or not. 0:00:40.011,0:00:45.047 The proposal I submitted involved[br]constructing a wall 0:00:45.047,0:00:46.537 that would span across all of the exhibition spaces. 0:00:46.537,0:00:50.240 The idea was to negotiate with the other artists[br]so that we would all engage with this wall in some way. 0:00:50.240,0:00:53.551 I also proposed that we share the prize money [br]equally among the four selected artists. 0:00:53.551,0:00:56.336 This way, each of us could walk away with roughly €1,000 0:00:56.336,0:00:59.399 which seemed like a fair and appealing deal. 0:00:59.909,0:01:01.223 However, 0:01:02.633,0:01:08.690 as the discussions with each of the participating artists progressed, [br]it gradually became clear that my proposal was leading to a dead end. 0:01:08.690,0:01:14.420 In the end, the work I presented reflected that very impasse[br]it became a narrative of failed negotiations and the limits of collaboration. 0:01:15.571,0:01:22.062 The Young Belgian Painting Prize represents [br]a particularly significant period in my life. 0:01:22.062,0:01:25.081 Ever since childhood, I had dreamed of becoming an artist. 0:01:25.081,0:01:29.829 I imagined it as a wondrous world filled with creativity and meaning. [br]I worked relentlessly to reach that vision. 0:01:29.829,0:01:34.412 And then, almost like a newly hatched bird, something opened up — suddenly, unexpectedly. 0:01:34.412,0:01:38.437 I must have been around 27 or 28 years old [br]when everything seemed to unfold at once. 0:01:38.437,0:01:44.580 I recall that time as a period of three or four years [br]that felt intensely exhilarating. 0:01:45.790,0:01:49.187 It was as if something deep within me had finally come to the surface. 0:01:49.187,0:01:53.147 But I also remember being at the FIAC art fair in Paris, [br]standing in the midst of it all, and realizing with a strange clarity: 0:01:53.147,0:01:54.440 this is not my world. 0:01:54.622,0:01:58.642 The world I had dreamed of was not the world I was now confronting 0:01:58.642,0:02:00.433 the world of objects, of commodified art. 0:02:00.433,0:02:04.221 The reality of the art market made me feel deeply uneasy. 0:02:04.221,0:02:06.706 It was a space in which I could not fully find myself. 0:02:06.706,0:02:12.925 And so, I would describe the Young Belgian Painting Prize [br]as a kind of enchanted parenthesis 0:02:12.925,0:02:19.143 a moment in time when everything emerged all at once, almost as if by magic. 0:02:19.143,0:02:22.297 But in hindsight, it may also have marked the beginning of a different life altogether. 0:02:22.541,0:02:23.984 The year I participated 0:02:23.984,0:02:26.447 if I recall correctly, that must have been in 2005 0:02:26.447,0:02:28.298 I remember that 0:02:28.298,0:02:31.102 Denicolai & Provoost 0:02:31.102,0:02:33.694 were also among the selected artists that same year. 0:02:35.064,0:02:38.894 Their proposal struck me as particularly relevant, 0:02:38.894,0:02:41.913 as is often the case with their work. 0:02:43.708,0:02:46.939 They suggested cancelling the competition altogether 0:02:46.939,0:02:50.865 meaning, even before the exhibition began, 0:02:50.865,0:02:54.246 they proposed that we not enter into rivalry with one another. 0:02:54.713,0:03:01.573 It was a gesture that carried a certain disruptive potential. 0:03:01.573,0:03:07.247 Reaching the stage of the Young Belgian Painting Prize already [br]implies having gone through a significant selection process. 0:03:07.247,0:03:09.245 But one might ask: is this final selection truly necessary? 0:03:09.245,0:03:11.325 Whom does it ultimately serve? 0:03:11.325,0:03:17.266 Their idea was to place all the prize money into a shared fund 0:03:17.266,0:03:19.611 and to distribute it equally among the participating artists. 0:03:20.604,0:03:24.272 I was strongly in favour of this exception. 0:03:24.722,0:03:27.995 However, I recall that one of the artists opposed the idea, 0:03:27.995,0:03:30.028 and so we did not proceed with it. 0:03:30.028,0:03:31.481 Nonetheless, 0:03:31.481,0:03:34.623 as a reflection on what the future [br]of the Young Belgian Art Prize could become, 0:03:34.623,0:03:38.008 I believe this proposal represents an intriguing and meaningful path to consider. 0:03:38.806,0:03:42.437 I first became aware of the BelgianArtPrize 0:03:42.437,0:03:46.432 through the work that my friend Adrien Tirtiaux had presented there. 0:03:46.432,0:03:49.869 His project inspired me to apply the following year, 0:03:50.471,0:03:51.928 in 2014. 0:03:52.558,0:03:54.472 At the time of my application, 0:03:54.472,0:04:00.876 A Certain Amount of Clarity had just been finalized. 0:04:01.671,0:04:03.663 I had the strong intuition 0:04:03.663,0:04:05.997 that this film marked a turning point in my artistic practice. 0:04:05.997,0:04:08.397 There is clearly a before and after to this work. 0:04:09.074,0:04:16.363 Prior to it, I had not engaged with the digital revolution [br]or the transformations taking place online. 0:04:16.363,0:04:21.303 This was the first time I created a film composed entirely 0:04:21.303,0:04:24.369 of found footage sourced from the Internet. 0:04:25.062,0:04:26.869 For me, it was a significant work, 0:04:26.869,0:04:29.621 and I was actively searching for a platform 0:04:29.621,0:04:31.891 that could present it under the best possible conditions. 0:04:31.891,0:04:35.067 The BelgianArtPrize offered exactly that: 0:04:35.067,0:04:37.204 it provided the ideal context in which to screen the film at Bozar, 0:04:37.204,0:04:39.532 in circumstances that fully respected the integrity of the piece. 0:04:40.793,0:04:42.708 For the Young Belgian Painting Prize, 0:04:42.708,0:04:45.441 which I was awarded in 1999, 0:04:45.441,0:04:48.792 I chose to create a video installation 0:04:49.292,0:04:52.867 filmed on-site at Bozar. 0:04:53.569,0:04:57.259 The scene I filmed, titled Scène d’Attente, 0:04:57.259,0:04:59.769 took place in the Henry Le Boeuf Hall 0:04:59.769,0:05:04.403 the iconic concert venue where I felt particularly at home, 0:05:04.403,0:05:07.405 as I come from a family of music lovers. 0:05:07.405,0:05:10.051 It is a space I knew intimately. 0:05:10.975,0:05:14.681 The work was conceived as an exploration of waiting: 0:05:15.011,0:05:16.985 the moment when the audience enters, 0:05:16.985,0:05:19.249 finds their seats, 0:05:19.249,0:05:20.559 and the performance is about to begin. 0:05:20.559,0:05:22.523 I wanted to focus on that suspended time 0:05:22.523,0:05:25.239 and to create a kind of choreography of anticipation. 0:05:26.291,0:05:32.208 This video was then exhibited in the exhibition spaces, 0:05:32.208,0:05:36.778 on walls painted in a deep burgundy, [br]echoing the color of the concert hall’s seats. 0:05:36.778,0:05:40.273 To highlight specific moments from this choreography 0:05:40.273,0:05:44.116 gestures of hands, expressions, iconic details 0:05:44.116,0:05:47.226 I placed A4 sheets directly on the wall, 0:05:47.226,0:05:50.263 pinning them up to draw attention 0:05:50.263,0:05:52.720 to certain elements within the filmed scene. 0:05:53.361,0:05:55.929 For me, the challenge lay 0:05:55.929,0:06:00.901 in translating a work I had developed in my studio[br]into the exhibition space 0:06:00.901,0:06:05.969 an adaptation that, in the end, 0:06:05.969,0:06:07.891 was only partially successful. 0:06:07.891,0:06:11.871 In my studio, I had worked on a light blue floor, 0:06:11.871,0:06:14.013 but at Bozar, the space was different: 0:06:14.430,0:06:15.897 it had a wooden parquet floor, 0:06:16.464,0:06:20.995 and instead of a traditional wall, there was a fabric-covered panel. 0:06:21.213,0:06:22.624 I made adjustments accordingly, 0:06:24.384,0:06:27.353 but just fifteen minutes before I finished installing the work, 0:06:27.353,0:06:28.250 the jury arrived. 0:06:28.250,0:06:30.958 They told me to hurry, and then added, “You’ve won.” 0:06:31.666,0:06:33.832 It was a gratifying moment. 0:06:34.446,0:06:36.988 That was back in 1985, forty years ago. 0:06:36.988,0:06:39.024 The protocols at the time were different 0:06:39.024,0:06:41.654 more flexible, more human, 0:06:41.654,0:06:44.069 perhaps more spontaneous than those of today. 0:06:45.225,0:06:47.698 When I applied, I wasn’t entirely sure what I was getting into. 0:06:47.698,0:06:49.806 I had only just moved to Brussels a year earlier, 0:06:49.806,0:06:51.971 and it was through conversations with friends 0:06:51.971,0:06:54.123 that I learned the prize was considered important 0:06:54.123,0:06:56.363 and that it was well worth applying, 0:06:56.363,0:06:58.273 especially since there was also a painting award, 0:06:58.273,0:07:00.021 which I had never had the chance to compete for before. 0:07:00.021,0:07:03.114 The experience provided me with significant visibility. 0:07:03.114,0:07:07.529 My work was exhibited at Bozar, 0:07:07.529,0:07:11.079 allowing it to be seen by a wide audience. 0:07:11.079,0:07:16.997 Many artists and key figures from the art world 0:07:16.997,0:07:18.887 discovered my work at that time, 0:07:18.887,0:07:22.706 thanks to the recognition the prize carried. 0:07:24.788,0:07:27.156 It was an opportunity I seized without hesitation, 0:07:27.156,0:07:29.371 and it turned out to be an excellent one. 0:07:29.371,0:07:34.088 In fact, it was a meaningful gateway for me into the Belgian art scene 0:07:34.088,0:07:36.406 clearly a valuable point of entry. 0:07:37.667,0:07:43.308 I was invited to participate in the Young Belgian Painting Prize, 0:07:43.308,0:07:45.725 although my practice focused on textiles. 0:07:46.142,0:07:51.483 My textile work was rendered in primary colours 0:07:51.483,0:07:56.917 red, black, white, blue, and yellow 0:07:56.917,0:07:58.775 which are the only colours I use. 0:07:59.626,0:08:05.236 When presenting to the jury, 0:08:05.236,0:08:12.311 I explained that my work should be understood as painting, 0:08:12.311,0:08:15.232 not as weaving, 0:08:15.232,0:08:17.453 but as a black painting. 0:08:18.085,0:08:20.539 After presenting, 0:08:20.719,0:08:23.029 the jury deliberated. 0:08:24.093,0:08:28.047 Later, I received a phone call informing me 0:08:28.047,0:08:31.789 that I had been selected for the Young Belgian Painting Prize. 0:08:32.880,0:08:36.806 It felt like winning the lottery. 0:08:36.806,0:08:41.548 I remember asking, “Are you sure it’s me?” 0:08:41.548,0:08:47.142 Receiving the Young Belgian Painting Prize marked, for me, 0:08:47.142,0:08:50.009 the beginning of a career 0:08:50.562,0:08:52.941 a true departure point. 0:08:54.419,0:08:58.230 A small anecdote that illustrates the context: 0:08:59.307,0:09:04.238 I found out I had won the Young Belgian Painting Prize through a telegram. 0:09:04.713,0:09:07.450 It was a deeply emotional moment. 0:09:08.597,0:09:10.985 What made it even more unique was that, 0:09:11.792,0:09:14.934 although my parents had always supported me, 0:09:15.150,0:09:17.701 they never fully understood what I was doing. 0:09:17.800,0:09:20.884 At the time, my practice was quite conceptual, 0:09:20.884,0:09:23.851 and for them, it didn’t really resemble what they considered art. 0:09:24.934,0:09:27.550 They struggled to see me as an artist. 0:09:28.742,0:09:32.351 But with the award came press coverage 0:09:33.247,0:09:34.648 articles in the newspaper. 0:09:35.140,0:09:37.473 Suddenly, because it was printed in black and white, 0:09:37.473,0:09:38.875 it gave them a sense of reassurance. 0:09:38.875,0:09:42.232 I believe that, from that moment on, they truly saw me as an artist. 0:09:43.215,0:09:46.748 More importantly, the prize allowed me to continue, 0:09:46.748,0:09:49.673 and it reinforced my intuition 0:09:49.673,0:09:57.548 that it wasn’t foolish to keep pursuing the path I had chosen. 0:09:59.060,0:10:03.468 Winning the BelgianArtPrize was important to me 0:10:03.468,0:10:06.532 because it allowed me to change my professional situation. 0:10:06.532,0:10:07.676 For the first time, 0:10:07.676,0:10:10.653 I could legally and independently practise my work as an artist. 0:10:11.162,0:10:13.937 It marked a real shift. 0:10:14.304,0:10:19.637 The Crowet Prize enabled me suddenly to obtain a VAT status, 0:10:19.637,0:10:21.464 allowing me to enter into a position 0:10:21.464,0:10:24.862 which I wanted to enter in full transparency 0:10:24.862,0:10:28.666 Another formative aspect of the experience 0:10:28.666,0:10:33.280 was meeting the members of an independent jury 0:10:33.280,0:10:37.490 responsible for awarding the prize. 0:10:37.490,0:10:39.901 Without any direct personal stake, 0:10:39.901,0:10:42.889 since the funding came from private sponsors, 0:10:42.889,0:10:46.444 the jury, composed of professionals 0:10:46.444,0:10:50.246 was free to determine how that money would be distributed. 0:10:50.813,0:10:56.688 Engaging with individuals who were far more established in the art world 0:10:56.688,0:11:01.805 gave me both confidence and a sense of legitimacy. 0:11:02.213,0:11:06.938 Many of the artists selected that year are still, 0:11:06.938,0:11:09.819 to this day, practitioners I hold in high regard. 0:11:11.054,0:11:14.857 At that time, the Young Belgian Painting Prize was 0:11:14.857,0:11:19.098 the only national-level award of its kind. 0:11:20.072,0:11:22.504 It was widely regarded as the one prize 0:11:22.504,0:11:24.415 every emerging artist had to participate in. 0:11:25.664,0:11:28.448 For me, it was also one of the first opportunities 0:11:28.448,0:11:30.573 to realise a project on a larger scale. 0:11:31.023,0:11:34.823 Though it was prepared in a very small, dark studio with no daylight, 0:11:34.823,0:11:37.607 the work was eventually built at Bozar 0:11:38.014,0:11:41.965 with the help of my brother and using simple, household materials. 0:11:42.739,0:11:45.173 I have fond memories of that installation period. 0:11:45.567,0:11:50.389 It was the first time I created an expansive landscape, 0:11:50.389,0:11:51.640 a sort of diorama. 0:11:52.556,0:11:54.739 It was a truly meaningful experience 0:11:54.739,0:11:56.596 to be able to create something within such a context 0:11:56.596,0:11:58.171 something that otherwise would never have existed. 0:11:59.137,0:12:04.996 For me, Un Tour d’Horizon is a beautiful example 0:12:05.496,0:12:08.603 of how things can come together in an unexpected and meaningful way. 0:12:08.657,0:12:14.365 The title emerged during one of the meetings with the board members, 0:12:14.365,0:12:16.837 when someone casually remarked: 0:12:16.886,0:12:17.844 Something like 0:12:18.727,0:12:23.794 “A real suspense. No mad exhibition. C’est un tour d’horizon.” 0:12:24.544,0:12:25.855 That moment struck me. 0:12:26.296,0:12:30.513 The notion of a horizon is so present [br]and layered within the context of art. 0:12:31.522,0:12:33.515 From there, the work began to take shape. 0:12:33.515,0:12:36.113 I decided to create a performance 0:12:36.113,0:12:40.056 involving six individuals, each contributing 0:12:40.056,0:12:44.962 from their own unique character and sensibility. 0:12:45.330,0:12:48.881 The entire event 0:12:48.881,0:12:51.510 unfolded behind closed doors, 0:12:51.510,0:12:53.236 without my presence, 0:12:53.236,0:12:55.022 and I had to relinquish control. 0:12:55.872,0:12:58.536 This act of letting go generated an energy 0:12:58.536,0:13:00.895 that produced its own kind of beauty. 0:13:01.652,0:13:04.014 Interestingly, I never saw the actual image they created 0:13:04.014,0:13:05.571 during the jury performance. 0:13:05.571,0:13:07.324 It felt like a precious gift 0:13:07.324,0:13:09.435 also because it could be shared with others. 0:13:10.049,0:13:12.257 To my knowledge, I never actually won the prize. 0:13:12.457,0:13:14.053 I was selected as one of the laureates, 0:13:14.053,0:13:16.748 along with four other artists. 0:13:18.374,0:13:21.190 That was in 1972. 0:13:21.827,0:13:28.176 At the time, I was applying to the Higher Institute of Saint-Lucas in Brussels. 0:13:29.099,0:13:33.718 I brought three slide series with me 0:13:33.718,0:13:36.136 to support my application. 0:13:36.873,0:13:41.832 The members of the jury were completely taken aback. 0:13:43.315,0:13:45.332 A few months later, 0:13:45.332,0:13:48.915 I submitted those same works to the Young Belgian Painting competition, 0:13:48.915,0:13:51.763 and to my surprise, I was named one of the laureates. 0:13:52.472,0:13:54.662 The choice to select my work 0:13:54.662,0:13:59.857 reflected not only the evolution of the artist, 0:14:00.673,0:14:03.106 but also the transformation of the prize itself. 0:14:03.772,0:14:05.697 The two were interconnected. 0:14:07.214,0:14:10.098 After the events of May 1968, there was a general push toward 0:14:10.098,0:14:11.886 more democratic structures, including in the art world. 0:14:12.781,0:14:16.347 I can no longer recall the original prize amount awarded to the winner, 0:14:16.347,0:14:18.922 but in the spirit of democratization, 0:14:20.381,0:14:23.473 the prize was divided into four parts 0:14:23.473,0:14:30.346 perhaps even five, maybe enough to go out for a drink. 0:14:30.346,0:14:32.192 But I can’t say for certain. 0:14:34.240,0:14:36.469 Our edition took place in 2015, 0:14:36.469,0:14:39.818 but the edition before included Jasper Rigole, 0:14:39.818,0:14:42.990 whom I knew because we frequented the same cinema in Ghent. 0:14:43.574,0:14:45.986 Felicia Atkinson was also among the participants, 0:14:45.986,0:14:48.915 and she had just released a vinyl record featuring my music. 0:14:49.257,0:14:50.515 It felt like quite a coincidence 0:14:50.515,0:14:52.524 that these two people were brought together in that exhibition. 0:14:52.524,0:14:55.099 I was genuinely excited by the idea: 0:14:55.099,0:14:58.832 if they had taken part, then perhaps I should try as well, 0:14:59.299,0:15:01.490 even though at the time, I didn’t have much experience 0:15:01.490,0:15:03.615 with installations or making exhibitions. 0:15:04.299,0:15:08.186 I remember that drafting the proposal was a very exciting process. 0:15:08.186,0:15:11.127 I still remember submitting it on the final day. 0:15:11.127,0:15:14.577 When I arrived, I saw a large stack of submissions 0:15:14.577,0:15:16.969 some even tied with ribbons 0:15:16.969,0:15:18.665 as people crossed the street 0:15:18.665,0:15:20.688 to deliver them to the Ravenstein gallery. 0:15:20.688,0:15:25.442 It was striking to see how many people had applied. 0:15:26.402,0:15:28.094 In the past, the award was called the Young Belgian Painting Prize. 0:15:28.094,0:15:32.542 At a certain point, it was renamed the BelgianArtPrize. 0:15:32.542,0:15:35.177 Only then did I become eligible to participate, 0:15:35.177,0:15:37.434 as I had previously been too old under the earlier regulations. 0:15:37.434,0:15:39.564 The procedure had also changed. 0:15:39.564,0:15:44.815 Initially, artists applied directly, but later it became [br]an invitation-based process. 0:15:44.815,0:15:47.304 One had to be nominated. 0:15:47.411,0:15:48.858 I was placed on a shortlist 0:15:48.858,0:15:51.186 and was asked to submit my portfolio. 0:15:51.703,0:15:55.207 From that selection, four artists were chosen to create new work, 0:15:55.207,0:16:00.311 which would then be exhibited at Bozar. 0:16:02.770,0:16:05.728 One would receive the main prize, 0:16:05.728,0:16:07.240 and another 0:16:07.240,0:16:08.788 myself, in this case 0:16:08.788,0:16:11.051 would receive the Public Prize. 0:16:11.941,0:16:16.291 I was truly honoured and very pleased. 0:16:16.982,0:16:20.575 It meant a great deal, especially because the nominations 0:16:20.575,0:16:23.391 came from professionals within the field. 0:16:23.391,0:16:27.551 That kind of recognition shows that your work is valued by your peers. 0:16:28.169,0:16:31.220 Of course, when you are invited to take part in something of this scale, 0:16:31.220,0:16:33.885 particularly in such beautiful spaces at Bozar, 0:16:33.885,0:16:37.018 you feel a strong desire to present something meaningful. 0:16:37.760,0:16:39.901 Shortly before the exhibition, 0:16:39.901,0:16:44.110 I had collaborated with a lace maker from Halle. 0:16:45.783,0:16:48.772 I asked her if she would be interested in working together again 0:16:48.772,0:16:51.700 to create The Gadget, the first atomic bomb 0:16:51.700,0:16:54.135 this time using a 3D lace technique. 0:16:56.085,0:16:58.668 I had been discussing with Jan Mot 0:16:59.819,0:17:03.612 where and how I could present my work, 0:17:03.612,0:17:06.398 as I was still a very young artist at the time. 0:17:07.046,0:17:11.297 Etienne Wynants, who was then working at De Witte Raaf, 0:17:11.297,0:17:15.663 suggested that I consider applying for the BelgianArtPrize. 0:17:18.112,0:17:20.112 I thought to myself, why not? 0:17:20.606,0:17:22.342 So I submitted an application. 0:17:23.509,0:17:28.625 The works I presented were actually my first cinematic portraits. 0:17:29.084,0:17:33.215 They marked the beginning of a direction 0:17:33.215,0:17:36.335 that I would continue to develop in the years that followed. 0:17:36.936,0:17:40.547 The exhibition as part of the BelgianArtPrize 0:17:40.547,0:17:42.633 was a turning point for me 0:17:43.796,0:17:47.019 it was the first time I truly felt that a wide audience 0:17:47.019,0:17:49.814 had seen my work and knew who I was. 0:17:50.546,0:17:52.720 In the years prior, there had always been the lingering question 0:17:52.720,0:17:54.886 of whether I might return to the Netherlands. 0:17:55.481,0:18:00.040 So if you ask me what the prize represented for me, 0:18:00.040,0:18:02.832 I would say it was the moment I felt 0:18:02.832,0:18:09.974 that I had become a part of the art scene in Brussels. 0:18:11.100,0:18:13.833 It was Jacques ’t Kindt who said, 0:18:13.833,0:18:22.219 “You know what, Jean-Marie? You should submit a portfolio [br]for the Young Belgian Painting Prize. I think you stand a chance.” 0:18:23.752,0:18:28.929 When you see your own name at Bozar, 0:18:28.929,0:18:34.143 a place you have been visiting for exhibitions for over ten years, 0:18:34.143,0:18:35.827 it certainly has an impact. 0:18:36.991,0:18:42.829 Jan Hoet was among the supporting members listed there. 0:18:43.562,0:18:47.996 Afterwards, the work was shown in Confrontatie en Confrontaties. 0:18:47.996,0:18:51.512 He later exhibited my work alongside artists 0:18:51.512,0:18:55.061 such as Luc Tuymans in Cagnes-sur-Mer. 0:18:55.620,0:19:01.512 So yes, in terms of institutions, that truly served as a springboard. 0:19:02.554,0:19:04.844 For me that prize, 0:19:06.404,0:19:08.624 in terms of visibility, 0:19:08.914,0:19:13.529 it marked the beginning of my career as an artist 0:19:13.529,0:19:14.884 it was really the start. 0:19:16.292,0:19:18.642 I know I did not won the prize. 0:19:18.642,0:19:19.912 I never win prizes. 0:19:21.036,0:19:22.586 But still. 0:19:23.996,0:19:27.714 The work that received the most attention there, I believe, 0:19:27.714,0:19:31.079 was Ruurlo, Bocurloscheweg 1910, 0:19:32.187,0:19:37.239 a short video animation in fact, a very minimal animation, 0:19:37.239,0:19:40.639 a subtle intervention on an archival image I had found. 0:19:42.397,0:19:45.347 In retrospect, years later, 0:19:45.347,0:19:49.005 I often wondered about that piece 0:19:49.005,0:19:51.883 which eventually ended up in the collection of M HKA 0:19:51.802,0:19:55.512 whether I had even the slightest inkling, 0:19:55.512,0:19:57.476 any awareness at all, 0:19:57.476,0:20:01.516 that I would dedicate the rest of my life 0:20:01.516,0:20:03.760 to making such films. 0:20:04.593,0:20:05.760 I don’t think so. 0:20:05.760,0:20:10.874 But I did know at the time that I had hit a personal sweet spot. 0:20:11.924,0:20:13.699 As a young artist, you don’t need much. 0:20:14.549,0:20:17.459 A few people who connect with your work. 0:20:20.959,0:20:25.981 Some press that finds it strange, but somehow still understands it. 0:20:27.334,0:20:30.091 A few encouraging pats on the back and the feeling that maybe, 0:20:30.091,0:20:32.197 just maybe, you could break through 0:20:32.197,0:20:34.416 maybe you could keep going. 0:20:36.637,0:20:39.082 I participated in the Young Belgian Painting Prize three times. 0:20:39.440,0:20:44.323 My first entry was with three canvases, painted in acrylic. 0:20:45.048,0:20:46.603 The second time, 0:20:46.603,0:20:50.810 I submitted drawings bundled together like a book. 0:20:51.834,0:20:53.993 I thought, I need to be careful 0:20:53.993,0:21:00.019 imagine they open it and the pages get mixed up. 0:21:00.752,0:21:02.386 That absolutely had to be avoided, 0:21:02.386,0:21:04.086 so I wrapped it up securely. 0:21:04.978,0:21:07.152 I said, “Look, this is my work,” 0:21:07.152,0:21:09.896 and placed it on a chair, somewhat on the side, 0:21:09.896,0:21:11.135 I remember that clearly. 0:21:11.593,0:21:13.461 Later, I heard from a jury member 0:21:13.461,0:21:15.693 that they had not found my work. 0:21:15.693,0:21:17.919 They had one form left over and had said, 0:21:17.919,0:21:20.319 “Well, his work isn’t here. Where is it?” 0:21:20.319,0:21:23.236 Until they opened the package that was lying on the chair, 0:21:23.236,0:21:26.714 wrapped in brown paper and sealed tightly 0:21:26.714,0:21:28.977 and they ended up giving me a distinction. 0:21:28.977,0:21:30.514 That was the second time. 0:21:30.872,0:21:35.267 The third time, I participated with two works, 0:21:35.267,0:21:38.949 one of which consisted of twelve frames 0:21:38.949,0:21:41.341 an objet trouvé. 0:21:42.133,0:21:45.441 That work earned me a laureate selection. 0:21:45.900,0:21:49.920 I sold it to Galerie MTL, 0:21:51.012,0:21:53.262 which was a great support to me 0:21:54.003,0:21:56.596 and was planning to give me an exhibition. 0:21:56.596,0:22:01.214 But that never happened because the gallery closed down. 0:22:02.681,0:22:04.939 Well, when I won the Young Belgian Painting Prize, 0:22:04.939,0:22:06.451 you know, there were all these people 0:22:06.451,0:22:07.283 including my father 0:22:07.283,0:22:09.997 who said, “This is fantastic. You could do this for the rest of your life.” 0:22:10.539,0:22:11.672 And at that moment, I thought, 0:22:11.672,0:22:13.355 “There’s no way I’m going to do this for the rest of my life.” 0:22:13.580,0:22:15.639 So I introduced a kind of dialectic: 0:22:15.639,0:22:18.572 thesis, antithesis, synthesis. 0:22:19.089,0:22:21.122 And then that synthesis becomes a new thesis. 0:22:22.063,0:22:25.680 In that way, I’ve created over 30 different series 0:22:25.680,0:22:27.272 in the last 40 years, 0:22:27.272,0:22:29.224 all titled The Chromosomic Memory. 0:22:30.218,0:22:31.685 They are all related. 0:22:31.685,0:22:33.182 It’s like one giant book, 0:22:33.182,0:22:34.665 but constantly evolving. 0:22:34.945,0:22:36.950 I remember Madame Langui 0:22:36.950,0:22:38.508 it was the Langui Prize. 0:22:38.668,0:22:41.481 The story I was told is that she came into the room, 0:22:41.481,0:22:42.512 saw my work, and said, 0:22:42.512,0:22:43.329 “That’s going to be the prize.” 0:22:44.347,0:22:45.026 And then they said, 0:22:45.026,0:22:47.181 “Alright, we’ll keep that in mind. 0:22:47.181,0:22:50.089 And if we prefer something else, we can always change.” 0:22:50.551,0:22:53.907 And they never put it into question. 0:22:53.907,0:22:55.874 It was decided in the first moment. 0:22:56.725,0:22:58.167 You know, once you win the prize, 0:22:58.167,0:22:59.850 you meet all sorts of people. 0:23:00.292,0:23:04.099 I certainly met Flor Bex, who was a great fan of my work 0:23:04.099,0:23:08.075 and bought a lot of pictures for M HKA 0:23:08.813,0:23:11.264 I suppose the first thing that happened 0:23:11.264,0:23:13.817 once we were selected for the prize was 0:23:13.817,0:23:17.427 that the selected artists were brought in to see the exhibition space. 0:23:18.701,0:23:22.706 I immediately noticed people looking at certain spaces. 0:23:23.662,0:23:27.796 Because most of my work revolves around writing, 0:23:28.123,0:23:31.801 Actually I don't really like exhibition spaces very much. 0:23:33.456,0:23:36.768 My immediate reaction to this idea of claiming a space 0:23:36.768,0:23:37.691 was actually to get away. 0:23:39.129,0:23:41.160 And when I saw the Salle Le Boeuf, 0:23:41.160,0:23:43.894 I thought, “Oh my God, this is the perfect place.” 0:23:43.894,0:23:48.274 I can be between between Samuel Beckett’s Quad 0:23:48.274,0:23:50.741 and Opening Night by John Cassavetes. 0:23:51.087,0:23:53.887 So I had those three elements in mind. 0:23:54.419,0:23:57.775 It was also an important moment in my work 0:23:57.775,0:23:59.137 on the bridge from 0:24:02.103,0:24:04.641 having a performance-based practice, because 0:24:04.641,0:24:08.314 since then I have been doing a great deal of performance work.