Kris Martin and Charbel-Joseph H. Boutros at SMAK Ghent

The SMAK in Ghent presents two concurrent exhibitions: Kris Martin's 'EXIT' and Charbel-Joseph H. Boutros's 'The Sun is My Only Ally', both exploring themes of daily life, identity, and transience against the backdrop of the pandemic. Martin, a Belgian sculptor born in Kortrijk in 1972, examines universal questions through works that reference classical and ancient art. His exhibition includes 'Mandi VIII', an homage to the Laocoon group but without the serpent, and a reimagining of van Eyck's Adam and Eve turning their backs to each other. A large Chinese vase depicting market scenes is broken and reassembled, symbolizing existential fragility. A crushed golden bee alludes to Napoleon's downfall and environmental crisis. Boutros, a Lebanese artist born in 1981, blends autobiography with spiritual geography. His works, such as 'Night enclosed in marble', capture the night light of Beirut's mountains between marble spheres, requiring faith from the viewer. The exhibition pays homage to his solo show in Beirut that closed after one day in March 2019 due to political turmoil. Both shows run until May 2020.