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).

Vaast Colson

(c)image: M HKA
To retitle an object daily during the course of a show , 2006-2013
Object , H 95 cm

Every day an object is provided by Colson with a different title, to try to 'recharge' the object.It is a rather logical, consistent way to think about this article every day. In M HKA it is a publicity and merchandising 'Micky Mouse' figure from Vrielynckcollectie (RV8_001). After having been on display and retitled every day for a month, all titles will be put together in one list that will become the work that belongs to M HKA.

Former executions:
2006: An everyday object: blue bucket
2007: A Desired Object: Electric Guitar
2013: A commissioned item: Mickey Mouse (Vrielinckcollectie)

Titles:
07.06.2013 08.06.2013 [I think someone slipped me a Mickey] 
09.06.2013 [On behalf of the collection, welcome]
10.06.2013 [Orakel]
11.06.2013 [Slightly overdressed but happy to be here]
13.06.2013 [The Mouse - Oil on canvas, 138 X 78 cm]
14.06.2013 [www.youtube.com/watch?v=AG1CDiLcznc]
15.06.2013 [Pleased to meet you hope you guess my name]
16.07.2013 [Je bent nooit volledig gekleed tot je een glimlach draagt.]
17.06.2013 [Muizenissen in het M HKA]
18.06.2013 [La liberté éclairant le monde]
19.06.2013 [odoodem]
20.06.2013 [Ridicule pole]
21.06.2013 [Ever yours, Relaxy Mouse]
22.06.2013 [Visual example]
23.06.2013 [red, white, black & blue]
24.06.2013 [... en toen werd het insnoeringsproces ingeluid.]
25.06.2013 [Title and Retitle were on a boat, Title jumped out, who is left on the boat?]
26.06.2013 [How would Harry get out of this one?]
27.06.2013 [Slampamper]
28.06.2013 [The Flying Saint]
29.06.2013 [Levitate Me]
30.06.2013 [I could hang here for days with one arm tied behind my back.]
01.07/2013 [Voorproever]
02.07.2013 [Formeel het formele formaliseren.]
03.07.2013 [Het is langst hier.]
04.07.2013 [Overlangs of dwars doormidden?]
05.07.2013 [..., now dance around the object.]
06.07.2013 07.07.2013 [Rub belly for luck]

Vaast Colson ties an object to a statue, and gives it a different title every day for the duration of one month. This is the third installment of a work that already has two previous versions. In the first version, Vaast Colson opted for using a banal object; a bucket. For the second version, he chose an object of his desire; a bass guitar. For the third version, he wants to use an object that has been chosen by the client, and which he then works on for one month, visiting the object every day to give it a different title. M HKA chooses Mickey Mouse. Mickey Mouse bids welcome and alludes to the ambiguity of what it means to be tied to a pole. The statue being part of the Vrielynck collection is an asset; this collection is literally tied to our architecture and thus also to the notion of visual culture as a broader question for M HKA.