Facades parade with the city
Belgian artist Thomas Verstraeten is no stranger to large-scale artistic interventions in public spaces. For his latest project, he is asking the residents of Ghent to take part in a great, big ritual switch. A façade on the Vrijdagmarkt and a façade in the Brugse Poort neighbourhood will be meticulously recreated and placed in front of their original counterparts.
During the Odegand music festival, the façades will break away from the row of houses. Accompanied by local residents and musicians, they will meet each other in a procession. Ultimately, the façade from the Vrijdagmarkt ends up in the Brugse Poort and vice versa, surrounded by the celebrating crowd.
With this reversal, Verstraeten exposes the tension and connection between the historic centre and the city’s outskirts, demonstrating that façades are like masks of the city, behind which there is much to discover. Everyone is welcome to experience this together.
The Parade starts at 11AM
A production from Opera Ballet Vlaanderen in coproduction with Gent Festival, VIERNULVIER, NTGent, CAMPO en KOPERGIETERY.
The creators
Thomas Verstraeten
Concept, direction, and set design
samen met muzikanten en inwoners uit Gent
Concept, direction, and set design
