Onschuld kan een hel zijn
1993
Berlinde De Bruyckere
Three giant goedendags—a medieval Flemish weapon resembling a morning star, or spiked bludgeon—disturb the peaceful atmosphere of the park. Here, the idyllic environment suddenly becomes a place full of unexpected dangers. In this work, Berlinde De Bruyckere seeks the contrast between nature and culture. By riveting the clubs to the trunks of majestic trees, she evokes contradictory associations: life and death, love and suffering, cruelty and shelter come together in a single image.
Details
- Plan number: M43
- Zone: Human Nature
- Title: Onschuld kan een hel zijn (Innocence can be a hell)
- Creator: Berlinde De Bruyckere
- Date: 1993
- Material: steel
- Acquisition: donation and purchase
- Object number: MID.B.669
This artwork focuses on the relationship of humans to nature. That relationship is subject to tension today: both nature and humans can be vulnerable and aggressive towards one another. This tension is a recurring element in Berlinde De Bruyckere’s work.
The work of Belgian contemporary artist Berlinde De Bruyckere is figurative and recognizable. Beneath that initial layer, however, lies a multitude of meanings. De Bruyckere confronts us with the vulnerability of every human being, but in each image there is also a strong message of comfort and beauty.
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