On Saturday June 8, M HKA Antwerp kicks off its summer programming with The Lives of Animals, a group exhibition that challenges you to see your relationship with animals differently.

“In this exhibition, we combine literature, philosophy and art to challenge conventional ideas about animals.” explains Joanna Zielińska, the curator.

Each of us knows animal stories, they are part of our collective imagination. From childhood, we observe animals in all kinds of circumstances. Our opinions about them are often colored by personality. Anyone who talks about animals is venturing into a popular but very complex area. And yet, they have always been there.

The Lives of Animals is inspired by the novel of the same name by J.M. Coetzee and exhibits the work of more than thirty artists, including Aleksandra Waliszewska, Katarzyna Krakowiak, Pierre Bismuth, Melanie Bonajo, Elen Braga, Sue Cue, Piero Gilardi, Rebecca Horn, Ad Minoliti, Panamarenko, Lin May Saeed and Nicolás García Uriburu.

Untitled (Tiger) © Aleksandra Waliszewska

Aleksandra Waliszewska (1976), is a polish painter known for her dark, atmospheric paintings that are steeped in art historical erudition. In fact, Waliszewska considers herself a contemporary heir to the Symbolist movement of the turn of the last century. Empowered female protagonists dominate her paintings, frequently depicting apocalyptic scenes populated by animals, imaginary creatures, zombies, hybrid monsters.

Absolute beginners – installation © 2024 Katarzyna Krakowiak

Katarzyna Krakowiak  (1980),  is a polish artist who creates sculptures, performances, objects, compositions and sound installations that investigate languages used to describe architecture. Her goal is to generate acoustic environments allowing viewers-listeners to become part of the artwork and encounter architecture at the level of sound. She also identifies as a gardener, tuning in with and learning from the soil and plants on a daily basis.

The M HKA is a museum for contemporary art, film, and visual culture in its widest sense. It is an open place of encounter for art, artists, and the public. The M HKA aspires to play a leading role in Flanders and to extend its international profile by building upon Antwerp’s avant-garde tradition. The M HKA bridges the relationship between artistic questions and wider societal issues, between the international and the regional, artists and public, tradition and innovation, reflection, and presentation. Central here is the museum’s collection with its ongoing acquisitions, as well as related areas of management and research.

M HKA is a cultural-heritage institution of the Flemish community.

Exhibition: THE LIVES OF ANIMALS featuring Aleksandra Waliszewska & Katarzyna Krakowiak
June 8 – September 22, 2024
M HKA
Leuvenstraat 32
2000 Anwerp

Open from Tuesday till Sunday, from 11:00 to 18:00

Read more about the exhibition