Marcel Broodthaers Retrospective at M KHA Examines Political Poetics Through Disordered Display
From October 4, 2019, to January 19, 2020, M KHA in Antwerp showcased 'Marcel Broodthaers: Soleil Politique,' a comprehensive overview of the Belgian artist's oeuvre. The exhibition's title alludes to a 1972 artwork in which Broodthaers modified a solar system diagram to imply political themes. Rather than following a strict timeline, the display featured early pieces such as Monument Public no 4 (1963) and Grande casserole de moules (1966), which nod to Belgian culinary traditions. Fragments of Broodthaers's Musée d'Art Moderne project were included, alongside language-centric works like Les quatre pipes (1969) that presented jumbled alphabets. Later installations on view were Un Jardin d'Hiver II (1974) and Décor: A Conquest (1974), illustrating his shift from poetry to visual art and his critique of political structures through chaotic deconstruction.
Key facts
- Exhibition ran from October 4, 2019 to January 19, 2020
- Titled after 1972 work 'Soleil Politique et fig.1 fig.2 fig.12.fig.O fig.A'
- Featured open-plan layout without clear chronology
- Included early works like Monument Public no 4 (1963) and Grande casserole de moules (1966)
- Showcased fragments of Musée d'Art Moderne, Département des Aigles project begun in 1968
- Displayed later installations including Un Jardin d'Hiver II (1974) and Décor: A Conquest (1974)
- Broodthaers stopped writing poetry in 1964 after a decade
- Referenced Belgian artist René Magritte in multiple works
Entities
Artists
- Marcel Broodthaers
- René Magritte
Institutions
- M KHA
- ArtReview
Locations
- Antwerp
- Belgium