Johan Tahon was born in 1965 in Menen/Menin and works in Oudenaarde (Belgium). He studied sculpture at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Ghent and has long been considered one of the most important Belgian artists of his generation.
He is not unknown to the IKOB - Museum of Contemporary Art, as he already exhibited together with Ronny Delrue in Eupen in 2007 and was also presented in collection exhibitions in later years. The starting point of his return to Eupen was a conversation in which he admitted that he would like to makeover the work "Xanax" (2006), which has been part of the IKOB collection for 16 years now. This led to the exhibition project "Embrace", which raised many urgent questions about art, its conservation, the associated author rights and the task of museums in general.
Together with the artist, we decided to allow him a makeover of his work. For many observers of the art world, this could be a novelty, for others even a sacrilege, since museums usually have to defend their works of art against modification, damage and change - if necessary also against the intention of the artist himself. We are convinced, however, that as a museum we must ask ourselves whether the position that the museum has occupied for more than a hundred years is still justifiable today, or whether a new relationship between the museum and the artists is needed, one that has yet to be defined more precisely? Tahon's modified work is thus at the center of the exhibition "Embrace" and marks the beginning of an unprecedented conversation between artists and museums; about the transformation of their works.
The newly revised work is flanked by new works by the artist as well as some older works from the IKOB collection. The aim is to show his work in the context of older works, to highlight new developments and older interests, and to present the close bond between IKOB and Johan Tahon for what it is - an embrace - expressed through a trusting dialogue about the possibilities of a sensitive approach by the museum to the artworks and their authors.
IKOB – Museum of Contemporary Art, Rotenberg 12b 4700 Eupen IKOB – Museum of Contemporary ArtJohan Tahon was born in 1965 in Menen/Menin and works in Oudenaarde (Belgium).
He studied sculpture at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Ghent and has long been considered one of the most important Belgian artists of his generation.
He is not unknown to the IKOB – Museum of Contemporary Art, as he already exhibited together with Ronny Delrue in Eupen in 2007 and was also presented in collection exhibitions in later years. The starting point of his return to Eupen was a conversation in which he admitted that he would like to makeover the work “Xanax” (2006), which has been part of the IKOB collection for 16 years now. This led to the exhibition project “Embrace”, which raised many urgent questions about art, its conservation, the associated author rights and the task of museums in general.
Together with the artist, we decided to allow him a makeover of his work. For many observers of the art world, this could be a novelty, for others even a sacrilege, since museums usually have to defend their works of art against modification, damage and change – if necessary also against the intention of the artist himself. We are convinced, however, that as a museum we must ask ourselves whether the position that the museum has occupied for more than a hundred years is still justifiable today, or whether a new relationship between the museum and the artists is needed, one that has yet to be defined more precisely? Tahon’s modified work is thus at the center of the exhibition “Embrace” and marks the beginning of an unprecedented conversation between artists and museums; about the transformation of their works.
The newly revised work is flanked by new works by the artist as well as some older works from the IKOB collection. The aim is to show his work in the context of older works, to highlight new developments and older interests, and to present the close bond between IKOB and Johan Tahon for what it is – an embrace – expressed through a trusting dialogue about the possibilities of a sensitive approach by the museum to the artworks and their authors.
