Romeinse straat
1994
Guillaume Bijl
For an outsider, it is difficult to distinguish this installation from a real archaeological dig: an exposed section of ancient road, complete with fencing against overly intrusive visitors and an information board. It all seems very authentic. Only those with the necessary geographical and historical knowledge know that Guillaume Bijl is fooling the viewer. The Romans would never have built a road in this swampy area, and in this region they used gravel rather than natural stone.
Details
- Plan number: S14
- Zone: Urban nature
- Title: Romeinse straat (Roman Street)
- Creator: Guillaume Bijl
- Date: 1994
- Material: rock, mixed media
- Acquisition: purchase
- Object number: MID.B.480.A
Bijl is poking fun at the uncritical consumerism of the average tourist, who questions nothing and believes everything he or she is told by a guidebook or information board.
Archaeological digs and ruins are often mentioned in the same breath. In romantic English-style gardens like this part of the park, ruins were very popular. If there were no authentic ruins present, people would build fakes. Just as Guillaume Bijl’s installation is a fake excavation.
Belgian artist Guillaume Bijl likes to confuse exhibition visitors with an apparent slice of reality. He reconstructs realistic situations, such as a complete driving school, or shows compositions of found objects, such as a display of coffee mugs. Since the 1970s, he has been documenting while at the same time questioning the society in which he lives.
This artwork on the map
Easily navigate to Romeinse straat by Guillaume Bijl and add it to your planned route.