Time to meet the "Aanwinst" artists

From 23 February, in the eponymous documentary series 'Aanwinst', we follow seven contemporary artists whose work was recently added to the Flemish Community's art collection. Following the series, an exhibition will open in C-Mine Genk from 24 February to 26 May, where you can admire the works of art from the series in real life.

Laura Nsengiyumva's name might no ring a bell just yet, but we're pretty sure her alterego "Queen Nikkolah" does. As a production company based in Ghent, we're even more happy to give her the forum she actually deserves. In all of her work, she explores colonial criticism and diasporic events. In "Aanwinst", she experiences an emotional reunion with her artwork "PeoPL" . With this art piece, she offers an artistic answer to the statue of Leopold II in Brussels.

Thomas Verstraeten takes us on a trip to the Seefhoek in Antwerp. In 2020 he recreated his street in cardboard and re-enacted events together with 250 other residents. Resulting in a video installation, the piece "Familiestraat" has been in the collection of M HKA since 2022. 

Maika Garnica's work takes us back to nature. With clay at its core, she develops soundsculptures in her atelier. "To hold, to carry, to walk, a sound" symbolizes a pivotal moment in her career and together with the "Aanwinst" audience, she walks through it at Middelheim Museum.

Karl Philips' art often analyses our consuming society with a lot of humour. Nomadic in nature, from a converted truck as a home to a lunapark as an atelier, Karl takes us to Mu.ZEE where his performative installation, "Vending Systems" is now being rebuilt after several years of safekeeping in their depot.

Frederik Lizen's art moves in Antwerp's public spaces, constantly evolving, exposed to weather, passers-by and potential damage. At M HKA, he and fellow artist Philip Aguirre look back at his acquired painting "Contact Losgehen". The three sliding panels reflect changeability, subject to the vagaries of the environment.

Originally trained as a painter, Leyla Aydoslu developed as a sculptor over the years. In the museum depot of M Leuven, she and the curator look back at the genesis of the work "LXXXVIII" and how it differs from her current way of creating.

Artist duo Simona Denicolai and Ivo Provoost are known for their reactive, process-based and temporary art, often in collaboration with others. Commissioned by the city of Genk, they created "Tien Taarten" together with ten organisations and four bakers, each with a profound symbolism linked to local historical events.

Curious to see more about these inspiring artists and their canon artworks? Check out...
Aanwinst: on VRT MAX from the 23th of February
Or visit the exposition in C-Mine Genk from the 24th of February.

'Aanwinst' is a production by Borgerhoff & Lamberigts in co-production with VRT Canvas.
This project came about with the support of VAF/Innovatielab, Sabam for culture and the Belgian federal government's tax shelter measure through Flanders Tax Shelter.