Artists from every corner of the globe are making a beeline for the Belgian coast, intent on finding the perfect place to show their work. Some are creating new work, others are choosing to work with an existing piece... We are not going to tell you exactly what to expect just yet, but at the end of 2008 we will be lifting a corner of the artistic veil...

Beaufort03 consists of...

Beaufort Outside

  • presents three works of art in each coastal municipality;
  • looks at ‘the place' of art;
  • underlines the relationship between architecture and sculpture;
  • is public-friendly and sensual;
  • is for and about the coastal municipalities;
  • centres on the notions of ‘history’ and ‘participation’;
  • shows a wide range of visual images;
  • presents stories of artists of different generations;
  • is an exhibition to explore over a period of several days;
  • is an exploration of the coast then and now;
  • emphasizes an attachment to the place.

Beaufort Outside: sculptures and installations in open air in all coastal municipalities (De Panne | Koksijde-Oostduinkerke | Nieuwpoort | Middelkerke-Westende | Oostende | Bredene | De Haan-Wenduine |  Blankenberge | Zeebrugge |  Knokke-Heist)

and

Beaufort Inside, an art exhibition to read, sitting on a terrace!

Beaufort03 tells the story of 30 artists who have toyed with the themes of history and heritage along the Belgian coast. However, many art visitors are less familiar with the richness of this coastal history and this heritage. For that reason the Art Museum at the Sea in Ostend Beaufort Inside has further explored these aspects. The exhibition was given the title MEMORIES. Artists along the Belgian coast from 1830 to 1958 therefore constitute a point of departure in the exploration of Beaufort Outside in the coastal cities. An invitation to all who want to optimally enjoy Beaufort03!

Beaufort Inside is an intriguing voyage of discovery for ‘the place’ of art along the coast, focused on the period 1830 to 1958. 1830 stands synonymous for the emergence of Belgium, whereas 1958 is printed in memory by Expo ´58 and the opening of the motorway to the coast!

Beaufort Inside offers a unique insight in art and coast. Needless to say, the sea has already been enticing artists for centuries. Furthermore, the period 1830-1958 is a time during which many things happened in the social, economic and cultural fields. Example:
A drastic event like WWI spurred the emergence of front artists; during the four-year trench warfare, an alternative artistic circuit developed itself.
And the coast tram from the end of the 19th century stands at the basis of an unparalleled social-economic awakening. The coast was literally made accessible and gradually, artists, writers and architects discovered the coast. Paul Delvaux, René Magritte, Emile Verhaeren, Octave Van Rysselberghe..., they all left behind an indelible impression of the sea.
Beaufort Inside goes deeply into this rich past. For each coastal town a sculptural, architectural and literary line will be drawn. By means of extensive archive material one or several aspects are elaborated per city. The works of art themselves are present as well as Works by Théo Van Rysselberghe, James Ensor, Paul Delvaux, Achiel Van Sassenbrouck, Alfons Blomme… and also work from the Beaufort03 artists.

Beaufort Inside is a unique exploration of the coast in past and present, at which coast and art are fully engrossed in each other like a symbiosis!