Ambers and Knokke, art and sun

Liam Gillick, Koen van den Broek and Thomas Schütte work.

I went to visit my dear friends in Ambers. As they also like art we always go to see what is going on too. First we arrived rather late at the (from the outside) discouraging and lonely museum of contemporary art Mu hka (20 minutes before closing). It seemed even more deserted than before, my friend was so sure they were moving that that was why no new investments were done at the building. Even its non common salmon color had faded into the typical gray color of an empty and not loved building. We came back the day after. The downstair exhibition FANTASY, curated by Koen van der Broek, provoked us a lot of questions, like why one painting of his -1 square meter- was hanging on its own on a 15 meter white wall? There were great works by Donal Judd and follower Liam Gillick but also a pair of the most awful paintings I have ever seen in my life. Names, sorry I don't remember and I was not allowed to take photos, something that I hate, because for example I can not show the high degree of ugliness.

Upstairs was a great show on communication, there were quite a few works that took us by surprise and specially the video made in Poland where extreme groups interact on each others creations, bringing the people to nearly un-limited violence until they cut and burned each other works'. Artur Zmijewsky, Them, 2007 video.
The photos by Richard Wentworth, Making Do And Getting By where also with a lot of humor. Imogen Stidworthy, 7AM, 2005 video was an opening to the imagination. Also the art pieces on how being different can bring you in a lot of trouble now days was of my choice. DIE LUCKY BUSH curated by Imogen Stidworthy.
Later, being Wednesday I had to look trough the windows of the closed galleries. The Black Panther (Galerie de Zwarte panter ) had very attractive work.

A new gallery Margaleef & Gipponi contemporary art around my friends' corner seems to have a lot of future.

Further in Knokke I saw many many galleries with very 'pleasant' and expensive works nearly custom made for the rich Knokke "second home" visitors.
Last I visited my friends' friend gallery (closed) Sabine Wachters with not easy work of Daniel Spoerri.

I heard for the first the (not so true) story of the name of Ambers or Antwerp, coming from a god that throws a hand. Hand+werpen. And thus why the unconfortalbe sculpture at the city heart square. Which by the way is at his most beautiful ever.
Also a photo of the new trendy apartments at the river front and a monumental ship at the Schelde. We also visited a fashionable 'artificial' beach cafe by the river, with incredible low prices: 2 euro for a beer!

I was explained of the curious very old tradition in Knokke of girls making paper flowers and setting up a 'little shop' where the floweres are traded for shells. Lovely to see it lively.

There was plenty of waiting for/in the trains, the family with 7 children was lovely to see at this tiring moments.

An Ambers blog: Antwerp Calling.
Art Galleries Antwerp