Hans Theys

Hans Theys is a twentieth-century philosopher and art historian. He has written and designed dozens of books on the works of contemporary artists and published hundreds of essays, interviews and reviews in books, catalogues and magazines. All his publications are based on actual collaborations and conversations with artists.

This platform was developed by Evi Bert (M HKA / Centrum Kunstarchieven Vlaanderen) in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp (Research group Archivolt), M HKA, Antwerp and Koen Van der Auwera. We also thank Idris Sevenans (HOR) and Marc Ruyters (Hart Magazine).

Jef Lambrecht

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Déclaration De Dépendance de la Belgique au Zaire BIWA, 1989

Karel Schoetens, Jef Lambrecht

Performance

Part of the actions surronding the Declaration of Dependence (of Belgium from Zaire) (poster)

Poster for the declaration

Jef Lambrecht was a journalist renowned as one of Belgium’s foremost experts in the current affairs of the Middle-East. Together with Karel Schoetens, Lambrecht founded the artistic project the Belgian Institute for World Affairs (B.I.W.A.) in 1982, as a way to reflect on the peculiarity of Belgium, including its relations to the rest of the world. In 1989, during the ongoing crisis between Belgium and its former colony Zaire (its former colony Congo and now Democratic Republic of Congo) concerning the waiving of debt, B.I.W.A. organised the action Declaration of Dependence, which declared unilaterally that Belgium was a dependent of its former colony Zaire. Beginning as a ritualistic action on the Linkeroever (Left Bank) of Antwerp, the artists made their declaration in the pouring rain in front of a minimal crowd. They then visited the consulate of Zaire to deliver the declaration, but who ultimately declined it. The story nonetheless caused a small media storm, and questions were even raised in parliament. The event elevated to the level of a minor diplomatic incident, with Zaire’s president Mobutu stating press freedom in Belgium was out of control.

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