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A Language for Loss
Grief touches all of us, but it does not always have a place in everyday life. With the Art of Grief, we want to create that space. Guided by the belief that art can be an accessible language through which loss can be made tangible, spoken about and shared, we are building a multi-day arts festival together.
The process leading up to the festival is just as important to us as the final result. Through an open call, we invited artists who work from personal experiences of grief or who wish to explore the theme through their artistic practice. All disciplines and levels of experience were welcome: from visual arts, photography and poetry to music, performance and culinary art.
The open call received an overwhelming response, with more than 70 artists applying. An independent jury selected a diverse group of artists from these submissions. In the months leading up to the festival, they come together during various co-creation sessions. They get to know each other's work and stories, exchange experiences and are given the space to further develop their ideas and work.
In this way, the Art of Grief is becoming more than just an exhibition. It is a shared journey in which loss takes on different forms and finds many different voices.
A Different Story Every Day
From Saturday 7 to Sunday 15 November, the Art of Grief opens a different door to grief and loss each day.
In the afternoons, you can visit the exhibition and meet the artists and discover their work. Each day has its own host: an organisation or initiative that works around grief and loss from a specific perspective. They bring their expertise and experiences and are happy to engage in conversation with visitors.
On several evenings, we invite you to discover, experience and create for yourself through workshops and opportunities to meet. During the weekend, we also make space for performances and live events, where music, theatre, performance and other art forms give grief a voice.
Every festival day is different, bringing new stories, encounters and perspectives. But one thing remains at the heart of it all: making space for loss.
Carried by Many
The Art of Grief comes to life thanks to the many people who contribute in their own way.
From sponsors and jury members to artists, exhibitors, hosts, guests and volunteers: each of them brings something unique and contributes to a festival that creates space for encounter, expression and connection.
To everyone who helps shape the Art of Grief: thank you.
Impressions of the Festival
A festival does not come together all at once. This website grows alongside everything that happens during the Art of Grief.
We are collecting images of the venue, the preparations, the exhibition and the various activities. During the festival, we will continue to add photographs capturing what happens, the people who meet and the moments that stay with us.
In this way, a growing visual archive of the Art of Grief will emerge: from the very first preparations to the final encounter.
What Connects Us
The Art of Grief is an initiative of Tussenruimte and RetroRouw vzw. Coming from different backgrounds, we share the conviction that grief and loss deserve a greater place in our society. With this festival, we bring together art, personal stories, organisations and visitors.
We do not wish to provide an answer to what grief should be. Rather, we want to create a space where different forms of loss are allowed to exist, where stories can be shared, and where art opens up new ways to look, feel and connect.
The Art of Grief is an invitation.
To pause.
To listen.
To experience.
And to meet each other in what connects us.