S.M.A.K.
Uit de Collectie Gifted

S.M.A.K. presents the works that artists, collectors, estates or other institutions have donated to the museum in recent years.

A public collection is created not only thanks to public funds, but also as a result of the major role played by the generosity of third parties. Fortunately, there are plenty of people in our society who find it important to contribute to the growth of a public collection such as that held by S.M.A.K.. Given the limited acquisition budget, these generous contributions are crucial to the museum. This exhibition presents a small selection from a multitude of donations that have been made in recent years.

From the Collection Gifted can be seen as a tribute to ‘the donor’, the individual or institution involved with the museum; to those who want to enhance the importance and the significance of a public collection.

Behind every donation lies a unique and sometimes personal story. The gift of an artwork usually involves a lot more than simply transferring it from place A to B, or from one collection to another. For this reason, we are not just exhibiting the works but also including information about their provenance. The title ‘Gifted’ alludes to the act of donation on the one hand, and to its alternative meaning – being talented – on the other.

In the final room of the exhibition, we find the donation of an entire exhibition: x, which was on display at KIOSK Gent earlier this year and which, thanks to the patronage of the Willame Foundation, can become part of the S.M.A.K. collection.. All donated artworks from x are anonymous and are cataloged as such in S.M.A.K.’s collection. x is a critical response to an art world in which the signature often assumes greater importance than the actual work. It is an invitation for us all to look beyond the exhibition label, to be inspired by the artwork itself and nothing else.

In de laatste zaal van de tentoonstelling vinden we de schenking van een volledige tentoonstelling: x, die eerder dit jaar te zien was in KIOSK Gent en die dankzij het mecenaat van de Stichting Willame deel kunnen worden van de collectie van S.M.A.K.. Alle geschonken kunstwerken van ‘x’ zijn anoniem en komen ook anoniem in de collectie van S.M.A.K. terecht. Is het mogelijk om naar kunstwerken te kijken los van naam, faam of curriculum? x was een speels experiment dat zowel de kunstorganisatie zelf als de deelnemende kunstenaars uitdaagde om de conventies rond kunst produceren en kunst tentoonstellen op een andere manier te benaderen.

Images: (c) Dirk Pauwels