The city festival PLAY takes over Kortrijk
23 June saw the launch of the PLAY City Circuit for contemporary Art, an original municipal event that takes place throughout the centre of Kortrijk. The festival invites visitors to immerse themselves in the unique world of (inter)national visual arts, both indoors and out. The works will be on display until 11 November.
As part of the PLAY festival, 40 artists from 18 countries will exhibit 60 works of art in 16 indoor and outdoor venues in Kortrijk. This free circuit, the first of its kind in the Flemish city, will appeal to children as well as adults, as it has a fun element and other attractive features.
Visitors cannot fail to spot the huge inflatable bed by the American artist Jennifer Rubell on the Grand Place. Fifty people can bounce on it at the same time. The work recalls the fact that the linen and drapery industry is an integral part of the history of this Flemish city. Along the River Lys, Italian artist Paola Pivi has installed a large grassy slope that visitors are invited to roll down. In one of the old Broel Towers, Martin Creed has filled half a room with green balloons and visitors have to find their way through them without being overcome by claustrophobia. As a final example, the Costa Rican artist Priscilla Monge has created a football pitch scattered with bumps, to encourage players to change tactics or come up with new rules.
The PLAY festival hopes that this urban contemporary art trail will show that play is educational for both children and adults, particularly as the two age groups do not necessarily interpret the works in the same way. Ultimately, the interpretation is relatively unimportant if the pleasure of experimenting is shared by children and adults alike.
Further information: https://www.playkortrijk.be/en.