Hans Theys

 

 

 

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Hans Theys

 

Belgian Artist Movements in the Sixties and Seventies

Conversation with Walter Swennen

 

 

Swennen: Between 1965 and 1967, there was Jacques Charlier’s group ‘Total’s’. A lot of things happened back then, happenings, but not many traces remain… The idea of ​​an organized movement didn’t exist, by the way; we didn’t want to leave any traces… We weren’t against institutions, but we did break with them. That didn’t last long… It didn’t last long because the market quickly opened up for what we were doing. The forms became forms of merchandise: everything was documented… Marketable things that left traces for history. We laughed at that. Something that really set things in motion was Living Theater, which had come to Brussels. Julian Beck. They had a lot of influence.

- And ‘L’entonnoir’?

Swennen: The driving force behind it was Pierre Goffin. He must still have documents and posters. He even has some of my work from that period. Pop art-like things. We were part of the ‘national pop art’, which was founded by Marcel (Broodthaers). There was also a very fleeting group called ‘Accuse’: a small group of friends who shared interests, but not explicitly artistic as it is understood today. It was a moment when art exploded and it became possible to be interested in everything and connect it with art.

- Can you give an example?

Swennen: Things like politics, Situationist ideology, or the increasing influence of power structures. I remember someone drawing a plan to demonstrate that cameras supposedly installed for traffic were actually being used to film demonstrations. The ‘Accuse’ group published a fragmented and irregular magazine and disbanded without ever having existed. We actually gave it a name to make it ephemeral. I think Marcel (Broodthaers) had something to do with the name ‘Accuse’, but I’m not sure.

- So the goal of those groups was to not exist?

Swennen: Yes, we weren’t interested in institutions. We considered them a waste of time. For example, I remember publishing a poem in a magazine called Le Square. I think there were two or three issues that cost one franc. It was an A4 stencil, printed on both sides. That was the magazine. We did things like that 
all the time. Although there were also well-organized people who did performances instead of happenings.

- What’s the difference?

Swennen: Ah, the difference is enormous! It’s based on the intention and the context. Happenings involve a rupture, a sense of dismay, an unexpected overwhelm. It’s a continuous derailment. Performances are organized events that fit within a larger whole; they constitute an artistic activity that is part of an institution. The performance is an artistic form, the happening is not.

- It tried to escape the familiar forms?

Swennen: Yes. It pulled the chair out from under the butts of established forms. (Laughs.)

 

 

 

Montagne de Miel, 2 June 2000