René Magritte, Marcel Mariën, Leo Dohmen, Paul Magritte, Geert Van Bruaene. Museum of Belgian Surrealism, 1929-1950. 2 Drawings, 2 collages and 7 photographs. 1000 x 650 x 600 mm. Courtesy of Ronny Van de Velde.
Stephan Vanfleteren. Self-portraits, 2011. 18 photographs. 1000 x 650 x 600 mm. Courtesy of Ronny Van de Velde.
Sergio De Beukelaer. The.Monochrome.Museum n°2, 2011. Mixed media. 1000 x 650 x 600 mm. Courtesy of Ronny Van de Velde.
Installation view from The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. Courtesy of Ronny Van de Velde and The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium.
Léonard Misonne. Untitled, ca. 1900. 22 positive images on glass. 1000 x 650 x 600 mm. Courtesy of Ronny Van de Velde.
Bert De Beul. Untitled, 2013. 6 framed watercolors. 1000 x 650 x 600 mm. Courtesy of Ronny Van de Velde.
Rinus Van de Velde. Dear, 2011. Wall drawings. 1000 x 650 x 600 mm. Courtesy of Ronny Van de Velde.
A previous exhibition
at The Baker Museum
March 15, 2014 — June 15, 2014
Museum to Scale 1:7 is a project initiated by renowned Belgian art collector and scholar Ronny Van de Velde and organized by The Baker Museum. Consisting of a collection of close to 70 diorama museum galleries devoted to Belgian artists and art movements, the installation recalls the 17th, 18th and 19th century Wunderkammern, the cabinets of curiosities/wonder, and is also conceived as homage to Marcel Duchamp and his boîte-en-valise and to Grandville’s illustrations for Gulliver’s Travels.
In accordance with a firmly established postmodern tradition, the museum is at the same time subject and object of an intervention that operates as a mise en abyme — that is, the representation of an object using the object itself as a frame of reference. Museum to Scale features thematic and historical ensembles devoted to symbolism, surrealism, photography, the Cobra movement, abstract and minimal art and then leads to a section in which Belgian contemporary artists have each decorated a room in their own original way. The historical galleries include works by artists such as René Magritte (1898-1967), Felix De Boeck (1898-1995), and Marcel Broodthaers (1924-1976). Among the contemporary artists represented are Jan De Cock, Pierre Alechinsky, Koen Van Mechelen, Ann Veronica Janssens, Angel Vergara, Johan Muyle, Luc Deleu, Luc Tuymans, and many more.
A website augments the visitor experience by integrating an interactive component. Visitors can select their favorite museum galleries by scanning the QR codes on the object labels with a smartphone. This selection is sent to the website Museum to Scale and is registered there. The individual viewing behavior is tracked by the platform of the website and thus the visitor becomes a curator. In doing so, (s)he creates his/her own ‘ideal’ exhibition.
Museum to scale 1:7 is accompanied by a catalogue.
This exhibition is generously underwritten by Bruce and Cynthia Sherman.