How do we deal with damage and restoration? What does care mean in both a museal and societal context? During this ‘Food for thought’ lecture, we will take you through artist Grace Schwindt’s in-depth research into damaged historical sculptures and their meaning.
A History of Touch
In 2023, Schwindt explored how damaged artworks are stored and restored in the museum depot and what stories these fractures tell. She engaged in conversations with depot manager Benedicte Dierickx, conservator Linda Temmink, and head of the old masters department Marjan Debaene, and worked closely with contemporary art curator Eva Wittocx. Her research culminated in the solo exhibition ‘A History of Touch’, where she reflects on damage, care, and restoration through new sculptures, watercolors, and paintings.
During the lecture, we will show excerpts from the documentary ‘To Create Closeness’, which captures Schwindt’s working process and her collaboration with M. The film illustrates how damaged historical sculptures can shift our perception of fragility, physicality, and trauma, and how M supports artists in their research and creation.
In the meantime, Grace Schwindt, Eva Wittocx, Marjan Debaene, Benedicte Dierickx, and Linda Temmink engage in conversation. Using the documentary excerpts as a starting point, they discuss themes from the research and the exhibition, such as conservation and restoration, and the broader significance of care and vulnerability—both within museums and society as a whole.
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