Koen Brams
Brief van Werner Verstraeten aan Willem M. Roggeman, 27.09.1957

On 8 September 1957, the Brussels-based poet Willem M. Roggeman (1935) and his colleague Ben Cami (1920-2004) are guests in the space of the Dendermonde art circle Celbeton, founded in that same year. Both recite poetry. Roggeman presents the cycle with which he won the first prize (in the Poetry category) in the autumn of 1956 in a literary competition organized by the Antwerp magazine Het Cahier, published by the Antwerp art circle De Nevelvlek. During the Celbeton evening in September 1957, Roggeman and Werner Verstraeten (1937-1986), the initiator and co-founder of Celbeton, probably meet.

From the letter he sends to Roggeman on September 27, 1957, it appears that Verstraeten, who then briefly shares a home in Ghent with visual artist Raf Opstaele (1934-2018), has plans to start a magazine. Roggeman has already submitted two poems and Verstraeten has already acquired three subscriptions, but the magazine project is dying a quiet death.Met dank aan Simon Delobel, Daniëlle Palmans (Letterenhuis) en Willem M. Roggeman.

The Letters Project

In 2022-2023, KIOSK together with the research group Ghent, playing field of the visual arts (1957-1987), will focus on letters from or to people from Ghent, or concerning the Ghent art scene. The letters are selected for their content, but also for their form.

For a whole year, the group will present a different letter every week in KIOSK, and will highlight its context or the questions it raises. During these presentations, the letter (or a facsimile) will be shown, possibly with other artefacts that are mentioned or that can clarify its meaning.

Ghent, playing field of the visual arts (1957-1987) consists of Naninga Lens, Sofie Frederix, Wouter De Vleeschouwer, Koen Brams and Godart Bakkers. For The Letters Project the group is reinforced by Simon Delobel and some guests.