After the baroque, the avant-garde is undoubtedly the most fascinating artistic period we have known in our regions. A rather neglected aspect of the historical avant-garde is its religious dimension.
Founded by writer Felix Timmermans, architect Flor Van Reeth and writer Ernest Van der Hallen, the art society De Pelgrim (The Pilgrim, 1924–30) sought to combine modernity and faith. Well-known members of the society include Albert Servaes, Huib Hoste, Renaat Veremans, Gerard Walschap, René Demedts and Marnix Gijsen. The ‘spiritual leader’ of this society, Leonce Reypens, SJ , was a co-founder of the Antwerp Ruusbroec Society.
Comparisons with the baroque were never far away in De Pelgrim. This exhibition rediscovers the (international) network of De Pelgrim and the religious community art of the interwar period.
Walden Art Stories en KMSKA