The exhibition "Tribute to Hieronymus Bosch in Congo (2011-2013)" by internationally acclaimed Belgian artist Jan Fabre is currently running at Espace Louis Vuitton Tokyo. It runs until September 23rd. This exhibition marks the first time in Japan that Fabre's mosaic works, made from scarab elytra, a signature material in his work. The exhibition explores the history of Fabre's native Belgium's colonial policy against the Congo from the 19th to the 20th century. While Belgium has pursued modernization, Fabre argues that the harsh exploitation of the Congo—including slavery, plundering, and atrocities—has been ignored until recent years. Fabre expressed the dark side of his homeland through the allegorical and moralistic symbols found in the triptych "Garden of Earthly Delights" (1503-04) by Hieronymus Bosch, a master of the early Flemish school. Bosch and other Flemish painters were known for their head-on depictions of torture, massacre, and death. Fabre paid homage to the great artists of his homeland in expressing the complex issues facing his country. Furthermore, as the son of Jean-Henri Fabre, known for his "Book of the Insects," Fabre grew up surrounded by his great-grandfather's handwritten manuscripts and was influenced by them. Fabre's upbringing likely contributed to his interest in scarab beetles. Furthermore, according to Fabre, scarabs, which have maintained their physical integrity for tens of thousands of years, hold symbolic significance in Flemish painting as a "bridge between life and death." For this reason, Fabre has frequently used scarabs as a material that best represents his theme of "metamorphosis."

Fabre's first scarab mosaic, which addressed the Belgian colonial policy, was "Heaven of Delight" (2002), a permanent work on the ceiling of the Royal Palace in Brussels. The documentary "HEAVEN OF DELIGHT. A Royal Commission" (2002), which is shown on loop in the exhibition venue, shows the artist and 30 assistants wrestling with millions of scarab elytra for the royal commission. This video work is the best resource for deepening your understanding of the works featured in this exhibition. Since his work at the Royal Palace, Fabre has continued to produce works from this series intermittently, including a piece in which he inverted a portion of the ceiling mosaic onto the floor (2007) and "Tribute to Belgian Congo" (2010-2013). This exhibition features five mosaics and one triptych selected from the series "Tribute to Hieronymus Bosch in Congo" (2011-2013), as well as eight new sculptures depicting skeletons and birds. Jan Fabre was born in Antwerp, Belgium, in 1958. He studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp and the Antwerp Institute of Arts and Crafts. Over his long career, he has built a unique worldview by repeatedly using the same characters, symbols, and motifs, solidifying his international acclaim. He has also held numerous exhibitions in Japan since his first group exhibition in 1991.

【Event Information】
Tribute to Hieronymus Bosch in Congo (2011-2013)
(Japanese title: Hieronymus Bosch and Congo-In Praise of Bosch)
Venue: Espace Louis Vuitton Tokyo
Address: 7th floor, Louis Vuitton Omotesando Building, 5-7-5 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Dates: July 9th - September 23rd
Time: 12:00 - 20:00
Closed: Open daily
Admission: Free