The world is sweating, melting and holding its breath. Tensions rise, the familiar scale of balance is tipped and ecosystems are teetering. Yet Triennial Kortrijk 2027 is explicitly intended to be a treat: a summer exhibition that embraces hospitality, sensory delights and imagination, without denying the pressing issues of our time.
Ice cream calls to mind pleasure, refreshment, joy and holidays! The jingle of the ice cream cart! Ice cream is innocence in a child's hand. But at the same time, ice melts.
Ice cream is fragile, ephemeral and a striking reflection of our times. Visit the festival and let yourself be tempted by the sensory promise of ice cream. If you want more or look a little closer, you'll also find room for reflection and discussion here.
The promise of per tutti applies to everyone: human and non-human consumers of all ages, as well as minerals, plants, animals, people and entire ecosystems.
At a time when unrest and division are becoming increasingly pervasive, Triennial Kortrijk highlights the unique ability of art to create new visions of the future. Artists are a critical voice and present alternative realities. Their work can move, confront and amaze us.
About unrest and tension, armed conflict and the depletion of the Earth’s natural resources. What happens to our world when borders, security and international agreements are no longer a matter of course? What impact do war and pollution have on our living environment, both physically and mentally?
About democracy, freedom of expression and public debate. What does per tutti mean when self-expression and access to information are under pressure? After all, only those who are free to speak can continue to tell stories.
About imagination as a form of resistance and reflection on the future. Artists help us reclaim our own imagination so that our dreams of the future cannot be taken away by political division or polarising news.
The DNA of Triennial Kortrijk remains unchanged: an accessible, international city festival featuring mainly new productions and a number of loans from Belgian and international artists. The route takes you through the city centre and past remarkable heritage sites, some familiar and others yet undiscovered.
In times of major societal change, Triennial Kortrijk 2027 puts its faith in the power of art. Gelati per tutti aims to foster new encounters, fresh ways of thinking and new perspectives on the future.
Can't get enough? Read the full text written by Patrick Ronse and Barbara De Coninck, the curators of Gelati per tutti.
