100 Years of Surrealism commemorated by the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU at Bozar

n 1924, coinciding with Paris, the surrealist adventure makes its Belgian debut with the bold pamphlets of poet Paul Nougé, forming the central theme of this exceptional retrospective exhibition. Belgium’s quirky surrealists go beyond the purely aesthetic – they want to transform the world with their subversive art. Histoire de ne pas rire pays extra attention to their international interactions, the political-historical background, and important women artists.

Surrealism was the most important artistic movement of the 20th century in Belgium, and its spirit lived on long after the death of Paul Nougé and René Magritte. The movement produced no less than three generations of artists and as many visions of reality. Starting with its title - a direct reference to Paul Nougé's book (published by Marcel Mariën in 1956) - the exhibition is full of facetious and often provocative humour.

Histoire de ne pas rire features works by René Magritte, Jane Graverol, Marcel Mariën, Rachel Baes, E.L.T. Mesens, Leo Dohmen, Paul Delvaux as well as Max Ernst, Salvador Dalí, Giorgio De Chirico and many others. About 260 paintings, objects, drawings, collages, photographs and over 100 documents, magazines, posters and pamphlets have been loaned by over 50 museums (Centre Pompidou, Tate Modern, Boijmans Van Beuningen, Pinakothek München, Kunsthaus Zürich, etc.), foundations, art galleries and private collections.

The celebration of the Surrealist movement is extending throughout the Mont des Arts district of Brussels in collaboration with the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. The latter focuses on international surrealism with the exhibition Imagine! 100 Years of International Surrealism (21.02-21.07.2024).

Bozar, Centre for Fine Arts Brussels
February 21st - June 16th, 2024
Histoire de ne pas rire. Surrealism in Belgium

Main Image :René Magritte, The Cut-Glass Bath, 1946, gouache, Private Collection © Photothèque R. Magritte, Adagp Images, Paris, 2019