The artist/knight

de Joanna De Vos

The Artist/Knight is an exhibition with and about artists imbued with the spirit of chivalry and who bring the knight to life in countless incarnations, ranging from gentle irony to unbounded passion. Curator Joanna De Vos has been on a quest and has created an international exhibition for Gaasbeek Castle of artists who feel themselves to be the heirs of the fiercely passionate company of knights. The works of art lead you into an imaginary world that evokes the mind and soul of the knight, with themes such as the self-portrait of the artist as a knight, the accoutrements and character, the fighting, the game of chess and jousting tournaments, the ardent search for authenticity, the self-denial and strength of will that adorn the heraldic shield (or "blazon"). A number of works by artists from the first half of the twentieth century give a historic context to the whole. The Artist/Knight pays homage to the knight as a figure of style, a poetic icon who gallops through our imagination. A quest to find our better self. An encounter with the incorruptible hero we would all like to be.