Benjamin Verdonck
“He felt no fatigue, only the occasional regret that he couldn’t walk on his head.”
- Performs both on international stages and in parish halls.
- Exhibits in museums and on the street.
- An incredibly diverse body of work.
Love of collections
“I think it’s fantastic that you’ve created a huge space right in the heart of the city where you can store and display works. I have a soft spot for collections. For the care they require, the dedication to each object. That’s one of the main reasons I wanted to become an artist-in-residence: to get to know the KMSKA better from the inside—the building, the collection, and its future.”
KMSKA as a source of inspiration
“I used to live near the KMSKA. I’d often just go there to wander around. I love the majestic halls, the creaking of the parquet floor, the museum attendants sitting in their chairs. When I returned to the museum for the first time after the renovation, it felt like coming home after a long journey. Seeing some of the works again filled me with excitement. The landscapes by Jean Brusselmans, Rik Wouters’ The Ironer, Pieter Bruegel II's The Census at Bethlehem.
I didn’t realize I had missed them so much.”
Wish
"In the painting of the census in Bethlehem, there is a hollow tree by the riverbank with a sign hanging from it bearing the image of a swan. A fire burns inside the tree, warming the people gathered around it. It looks like an improvised café. I’d love to run a café like that for a while. I suppose it would be called In de Swaen. Although I also think Bar Op=OP would be a very fitting name for such an establishment."
