ORLAN Reflects on MesuRAGE Performances in Antwerp and Liège
During an interview on December 4, 2025, in Paris, artist ORLAN spoke with researcher Annosh Urbanke about her MesuRAGE performances. This series, initiated in 1968, showcases ORLAN measuring architectural locations with her body. Her inaugural MesuRAGE took place at the International Cultural Centre in Antwerp in 1980, where she measured 41 bodies, and she returned in 2012 for a performance at M HKA, measuring 74 bodies. ORLAN compared her street performances, which started in the mid-1960s, to those in institutional settings. Notably, her 1980 performance at Place Saint-Lambert in Liège was interrupted by the mayor, attracting significant media coverage. She highlighted the effort involved in her work and praised the artistic environment in Belgium during that time, citing artists like Guillaume Bijl and Jan Fabre. The interview is accompanied by archival photographs.
Key facts
- ORLAN began the MesuRAGE series in 1968, using her body to measure architectural sites.
- First MesuRAGE at ICC in Antwerp in 1980 measured 41 ORLAN bodies.
- 2012 MesuRAGE at M HKA in Antwerp measured 74 ORLAN bodies.
- 1980 MesuRAGE at Place Saint-Lambert in Liège was stopped by the mayor on the third day.
- ORLAN used excavators and worked with construction workers for the Liège performance.
- Witnesses for the 2012 M HKA performance included Marina Abramović, Barbara Koenig, Guillaume Bijl, and Jan Fabre.
- ORLAN emphasized the importance of showing the labor behind her work, including washing aprons and surgical teams.
- Interview conducted by Annosh Urbanke on December 4, 2025, in Paris.
Entities
Artists
- ORLAN
- Marina Abramović
- Guillaume Bijl
- Jan Fabre
- Eric Duyckaerts
- Marie-Jo Lafontaine
- Panamarenko
- Lili Dujourie
- Jacques Charlier
- Barbara Koenig
Institutions
- International Cultural Centre (ICC)
- M HKA
- Cirque Divers
Locations
- Antwerp
- Belgium
- Liège
- Paris
- France
- Saint-Étienne
- Toulon
- Marseille
- Nice
- Avignon
- Firminy