The exhibition project Middle Gate II – The Story of Dymphna is a collaboration between M HKA (Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp) and the cultural centre de Werft in Geel. Middle Gate II is the follow up to the exhibition Middle Gate, curated by Jan Hoet in Geel in 2013. The exhibition concept is closely tied to the legend of the holy Dymphna, saint of the possessed, the mentally ill and patroness against epilepsy and insanity. The legend of Dymphna shares a strong connection to the identity of Geel, "the charitable city".

Anne-Mie Van Kerckhoven / AMVK

(c)image: AMVK
L'âme ne peut rien d'elle-même, 2014
Other , 150 x 100 cm
Casein paint, acryl paint and spray paint on digital prints, mounted on wooden board with glue and metal screws

“One of the PVC collages “PLAYGIRLS” inspired by ‘La Fontaine d'Aréthuse’ (1910) by composer K. Szymanowski. Pages of the nude magazine Playgirl (Baltimore, 1958) served as a starting point. The works have texts of the book ‘Rhythmanalysis’ of Marxist L.Lefebvre (Parijs, 1992) and bits of the first text i ever wrote on a computer, in 1980. The titles and content of the works have to do with specific chapters of « Le Miroir des Âmes Simples et Anéanties et qui seulement demeurent en Vouloir et Désir d'Amour » (Paris, 1300) of the mystic Marguerite Porete. I feel very close to her individuality and passion. The Playgirls were made for my  Zeno X exhibition, ‘3 Carrels (Degenerate Customized Solutions)’.” — AMVK