Ghent, 01 juni 2006

GROUP MAES SUPPORTS "BLANK FACADES" PROJECT

Thursday, 1 June 2006 marked the celebratory inauguration of Loek Grootjans’ painting “It’s Better Somewhere Else”. A previously blank façade on Sint-Michielsstraat in Ghent served as his canvas.

This painting was part of the “Blank Façades” project jointly sponsored by the City of Ghent and the not-for-profit organization De Nieuwe Opdrachtgevers.

The City of Ghent has developed its long-term vision for art in public spaces: in the past, we used to scout around finding suitable places to display specific works of art, but now we identify the place first, such as a blank façade in Sint-Michielsstraat.

The artist Loek Grootjans took the history of this blank façade into account when he came up with the concept for his painting. The gymnasium of the well-known Sint Amandus school was formerly located just behind the wall. For safety reasons, the room had no windows.

The long stretch of blank, windowless wall (a symbol of despair in psychiatry) is now adorENG with stairs to the “Hemelpoort” (Heaven’s Gate, a symbol of hope).

Groupmaes is delighted to have helped get this cultural initiative off the ground.

For more information, contact the City of Ghent Department of Arts, Veldstraat 82, 9000 Ghent.