Belgian Sculptors Liberate Forms and Meanings from Material

An essay by Maarten Buser examines how five contemporary Belgian sculptors—Mireille Liénard, Maxime Van Roy, Lucia Bru, Valérie Mannaerts, and Edith Dekyndt—engage with material, context, and meaning. Liénard's “Mani” (2001) combines industrial zinc with surrealist ambiguity. Van Roy's “Mine de rien” (2021) uses local blue limestone (pierres bleues) from Hainaut, installed at BPS22 in Charleroi, a former industrial workshop. Bru's exhibition “Aux choses mêmes” at MAC's in Hornu (until November 11, 2026) features minimalist yet irregular forms that invite comparison. Mannaerts' survey “Antennae” at M Leuven (until August 30) includes the series “Point de Capiton” (2026), textile wall sculptures evoking clothing and organic forms. Dekyndt's video “A is hotter than B” (2006), part of the group show “Chrysalis” at BPS22 (until August 30), documents an ice cube melting to release ink, emphasizing process. The essay argues that these artists, rooted in French-speaking Belgium, navigate the duality of industrial heritage and surrealist tradition, liberating meanings through material exploration.