Open call for projects to artists and curators: contextualisation of a statue of Leopold II
The Royal Museums of Art and History are launching a call for projects open to professional artists and curators.As the equestrian statue is part of the Royal Museums of Art and History’s heritage, the chosen project must not have an irreversible effect. The contextualisation/installation is for the long term, but the museum is not committed to making it permanent. The proposed concept may also involve moving the work within the museum.
Contextualisation of a work in situ – painted plaster equestrian statue of Leopold II at the Art & History Museum (Cinquantenaire Park – Brussels)
The work to be contextualised is a plaster original of the equestrian statue of Leopold II made by Thomas Vinçotte (1850-1925), of which a definitive bronze version was installed and is still located place du Trône, and another was moved to Mont Ngaliema, Kinshasa, DRC. This plaster statue was donated to the Belgian State and the Royal Museums of Art and History by friends of the sculptor, who raised funds after his death to buy it from his widow (probably also to support her financially). The donors’ only condition was that the work be exhibited “permanently on the premises of the Royal Museums of Art and History in the Parc du Cinquantenaire”. On 15 November 1933, the statue was unveiled in the presence of Queen Elisabeth. It overlooks the museum’s Great Narthex.
Selection
An initial selection will be made on the basis of a CV and a sketch or design proposal. Artists are requested to submit a portfolio. The criteria for this first selection will evaluate the artistic aspect (poetic force, experience), the museal aspect (respect for heritage, integrity of the work and the space), and the visitor experience (the proposal must be readable for the museum’s public). The working method and feasibility of the proposal will also be taken into account.
An independent jury will select a maximum of five artists/curators who will be invited to submit a detailed project. For this phase, a sum of €1,500 (incl. VAT) is foreseen for artists/curators who are not selected.
A fee of €9,000 (excluding production costs) has been earmarked for the artist/curator selected. An amount of €12,500 has been earmarked for production costs. In the detailed project phase, participants must submit a production budget, as well as additional sources of funding if the production budget exceeds the planned budget.
Applications are due by 30 September 2023, in pdf format, by email to the following address: call_contextualisation_statue_LII@kmkg-mrah.be.
A detailed project will be requested three months after the announcement of the shortlist. Installation is scheduled for autumn 2024.
