This research focuses on a selection of Marcel Broodthaers' artworks, photographs, and texts created between 1957 and 1970—from the moment he realized his first photographs of Brussels to the year that he left the city. It will speculate on Broodthaers' engagement with architecture and the shifting urban conditions of Brussels, ranging from his street photography and brick sculptures to his published writings and relationships with architects. The project will also explore the heretofore unexamined relationship between Broodthaers and Le Corbusier, one of the most acclaimed architects of the twentieth century. As such, the research will revisit themes engaged in L'Architect est absente. Le Maçon, an exhibition organized by Fondation pour l'Architecture in 1991.
The research will crystallize in an exhibition on Broodthaers and architecture at CIVA, Brussels, set to open in autumn 2024. Curated by Stefaan Vervoort in collaboration with CIVA's Head of Collections Francis Carpentier and Artistic Director Nikolaus Hirsch, the show will be the third iteration of Research in Residence, CIVA's new collection-driven research initiative.
A book authored by Stefaan Vervoort, co-published by Spector Books and CIVA, will accompany the exhibition.