Hugo Claus 1929-2008

Often associated with his career as a writer, Hugo Claus also developed a visual art practice informed by the spirit of the CoBrA group (1948–1951), with which he was closely connected. By allowing his imagination free rein, without submitting to societal norms, he sought to free himself from all forms of constraint. This approach was notably facilitated by his use of collage, a technique that enabled him to create unexpected associations and to express a distinctive sense of humor. Critical reflection, folkloric references, and sexual evocations intertwine against a classical backdrop, producing deliberately heightened contrasts. Each collage thus appears as a condensed narrative, open to interpretation, inviting the viewer to engage their imagination and to become one of the actors of the scene.Claus’s visual work was revealed to the public in a major exhibition organized by MuZee at the Ensor House, held from April 17 to August 29, 2010. Under the title Con amore,  a major retrospective took place in 2018 at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels (BOZAR).