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".

GEWELD | VIOLENCE

(c)image: Syb'l S'Pictures
Violent Incident-Man/Women Segment, 1986
Installation , 00:00:28
VHS

This fragment of a video from Bruce Nauman's installation Violent Incident lasts a mere 28 seconds. The larger work consists of twelve screens, which form a single wall; the screens themselves display twelve defining moments of a romantic candlelit dinner. Partially comical and partially biting, this piece illustrates how easily domestic tensions can escalate to unbearable levels. This tension between humour and malice tells us something about the contradictoriness inherent to human nature, which is an important catalyst in Nauman’s work.