Pieter Vermeersch

Until May 2009 the work of visual artist Pieter Vermeersch will adorn the new façade of the Genk town hall...

Lately the town hall looked a bit forlorn: dark and grey in the new City Square, in hopeless competition with the attractive windows and the brand new library.

That is why the Genk city council decided to brighten the town hall once more by having it dressed up in finery by none other than artist Pieter Vermeersch.

With Vermeersch the city of Genk chose an artist who has won his spurs in abstract art. He was selected to take part in the Brussels Biennale in October together with the most renowned modern artists in the world.

In Vermeersch's work colour is a central focus. He couples the use of colour to spatial awareness, and allows colours and space to interact with each ohter.
This creates a three-dimensional effect, where the bulding's architecture serves as the canvas for the play of colours.
He gave the Palais im groǞen Garten in Dresden (D) some conspicuous red and green accents and he coloured the windows of the STUK in Louvain pink.

For the Genk town hall, Vermeersch chose to lay bare the structure of the building like in an X-ray. He does this literally by painting the columns of the new façade fluorescent yellow.

Figuratively too, he wants to light up the city structures…. More than ever, the city services wanted to offer accessible and open services. By making their own town hall available for the realisation of an abstract work of art, the city shows great courage, broad-mindedness and creativity! The work will adorn the façade of the town hall until May 2009, after which the building will be wearing its ordinary clothes again.

Foto Pieter Vermeersch: Veto