Terrifying, mysterious and yet irresistibly beautiful 'The Garden of Earthly Delights’ is Hieronymus Bosch’s most fascinating painting. Bosch visualizes his ideas about humankind: created in God’s image, expelled from paradise, inquisitive and hedonistic by nature and doomed to be swallowed up by the jaws of hell. A nightmarish vision designed to encourage man to lead a virtuous life. Vife hundred years later this painting is still very topical.
Piknik Horrifik is all about privation and abundance. About privation that leads to hunger and about the decadent superabundance that characterizes modern-day Western society. Whereas people used to gorge themselves when times were good to compensate for the lean years, these days we no longer know the meaning of scarcity. The abundance of food is seemingly endless and wasted with abandon. But when will our consciences begin to gnaw? And what if the tide turns?
Laika transforms a desolate spot into one of supreme bliss where the spectator is tempted by heavenly pleasures. That idyll then transforms into a cornucopian garden, after which the visitor is carried off on an ‘apocalyptic picnic’. Piknik Horrifik confounds us with an exuberant abundance – the main characteristic of Bosch’s oeuvre: lots of characters, lots of action, lots of images and copious quantities of food and drink …
BY AND WITH Peter De Bie, Britt De Jonghe, Sara Dykmans, Célia Fechas, Bruno Herzeele, Marlies Jacques, Silke Melis, Alain Rinckhout, Jo Roets, Pieter Smet, Bram Smeyers, Michiel Soete, Elke Thuy, Rik Van Gysegem, Anton Van Haver, Mieke Versyp AND ALSO IN LE HAVRE Julie Fouquer, Jean-Pierre Huet, Christian Joignant, Christopher Manchon, Allissia Martiny, Laure Rey, Patrick Saint-Martin, Anne-Lise Salmon, Shirley Vérin AND ALSO IN ANTWERP Hasibullah Ahmadayar, Leïla Boukhelif, Jos Deraedt, Roel Faes, Enayatullah Maryani, Zukisa Nante, Britt Tack, Gilles Torfs, Lisette Willems, Ehsanullah Ziaie AND ALSO IN 'S HERTOGENBOSCH Mezen Altaas, Ihab Bakir, Saskia Dekort, Erik-Jan Kamberbeek, Jefta Latuperissa, Floor Meurs, Heinz Meurs, Gilles Torfs, Anne Van Bergerijk, Harrie Van Gemert, Lisa Van Spijk, René Vogel AND ALSO IN HEERLEN Maarten Brorens, Kars Grit, Anita Janssen, Sophie Valérie Janssen, Cis Langelaan, Jack Notten, Karen Regtop, Marius Rosema, Han Rutten en Myrthe van der Bruggen AND ALSO IN LISBON Maria Luís Cardoso, Beatriz Dias, Alice Duarte, Juliana Fernandes, Margarida Garcez, Patrícia Gomes, Susana Mendonça, Gonçalo Pinela, Gustavo Rebelo, Matilde Tudela AND ALSO IN BRUGES Caroline Asaert, Geert Battel, Luc Dauw, Petra De Decker, Sabine Forrier, Tynni Oorlynck, Mathile Timmerman, Isabelle Van den Noortgaete, Walter Vereecke, Gert Verheust AND ALSO IN MARKE Mirthe Duguesnoy, René Frère, Leen Glorieux, Amélie Godefroidt, Ruth Goethals, Michael Janart, Gaya Mannaerts, Victor Opbrouck, Silke Thorrez, Jan Vandewalle