KAOS
KAOS develops art projects with artists who may or may not have a psychological vulnerability and has an artist residence programme in psychiatry. It brings together art and psychiatry and thus tells something about the perception of art. Where historically a distinction arose between the so-called outsider and insider art, KAOS resolutely chooses to ignore this distinction in the development of their projects. They start with the quality of the offered work in combination with the trajectory and the themes of the artists with whom they work. Just as within the arts field, KAOS notices that the boundaries between psychiatry and non-psychiatry become more fluid. However, there are still many prejudices about persons who suffer from a psychological vulnerability and through our projects, and KAOS wants to challenge them and contribute to a process of destigmatisation.
KAOS started in 2015 with its own artist residency. A room for artists was set up in a house of one of the projects Sheltered Living connected to the Psycho-Social Center St-Alexius in Ixelles, Brussels. The artist stays there for several weeks to months, along with 7 residents with a psychological vulnerability. In addition, the artist works on his/her oeuvre and new work together with artists/residents associated with KAOS or PSC St-Alexius in the shared workshop of KAOS.A residency period ends with an exhibition or presentation. This often involves collaboration with partners from the cultural and artistic sector. In addition, a framework programme is developed in consultation with the artists in residence, where there is room for deepening, meeting and debate.
The projects of KAOS include various artistic disciplines, such as visual art, music, poetry, drama, dance, theater and photography. The projects may result in exhibitions, performances, publications, presentations, etc., which are presented to the public. This can be done both inside and outside a psychiatric context, depending on the design of the project. KAOS is convinced that collaboration between people with an artistic drive can lead to fascinating cross-fertilization and synergies.
