Masquerade, Makeup & Ensor
From September 2024, several Antwerp museums will highlight the work of Ensor. At MoMu, James Ensor’s explorations about masquerade, (false) coquetry, seduction, deception and the transient are brought up to the present day.
Visitor information
Tickets
Visitor information
Description of the exhibition
In MoMu’s autumn exhibition, Masquerade, Makeup & Ensor, James Ensor’s ideas about masquerade, (false) coquetry, seduction, deception and the transient are brought up to the present day. MoMu celebrates the painters of fashion: the craftsmanship and inexhaustible creativity of makeup and hair artists, in a multimedia exhibition in which light, colour, art, fashion and makeup come together.
Dig deeper
Down through history, makeup has often been viewed with suspicion and compared to the wearing of a mask: a mask to hide one’s true face. James Ensor was a critical observer of the world and the people around him. He recognized their insecurities and insincere coquetry. From 1888, Ensor used masks, clothing and accessories as ambiguous instruments for unmasking: a way of revealing the true nature and deeper feelings of his masked figures. The work of James Ensor leads to universal questions: Why do we wear masks? Why are people so afraid of visible aging? How do we deal with ideals of beauty that are always changing and are impossible to achieve?
Today, makeup and beauty have exploded into a trillion-dollar industry that perpetually confronts humans with their bodily impermanence, imagined imperfections and existential fears. However, like paint, makeup is also a medium for personal expression, artistic experimentation, joy and freedom. Masquerade, Makeup & Ensor investigates how closely intertwined makeup is with so many aspects of our being human.
With work by James Ensor, Issy Wood, Harley Weir, Cindy Sherman, Tschabalala Self, Juergen Teller, Bruce Gilden, Serge Lutens, Julien d’Ys, Thomas De Kluyver, Eugene Souleiman, Inge Grognard, Peter Philips, Lucy Bridge, Pat McGrath, Lucia Pieroni, Gary Gill, Isamaya Ffrench, Aurore Gibrien, Siddhartha Simone, Yadim, Ana Takahashi, Holli Smith and many more. The exhibition also presents video installations in collaboration with Beauty Papers, a creative platform and biennial magazine about the culture of beauty.
Exhibition under the lead of
Curators: Kaat Debo, Elisa De Wyngaert, Romy Cockx
Teaser image: James Ensor, The Old Lady with Masks, 1889, MSK Gent Collection, Photo: Hugo Maertens, www.artinflanders.be.
Partner
Schools
Planning a school visit? Book a guided tour and discover this exhibition with a guide. We offer tailored formulas for different school levels.
Groups
Interested in a group visit? Book a guided tour and discover this exhibition with a guide on the day and time of your choice.
Ensor 2024
In 2024, it will be 75 years since the death of James Ensor. But the avant-garde artist lives on in the city of Antwerp, home to more work by James Ensor than anywhere else. From September 2024, several Antwerp museums will highlight the artist’s oeuvre with a series of ambitious exhibitions. The focus is on Ensor’s lasting relevance through its influence on contemporary art, fashion and photography.