Kasper Bosmans - 'Husbandry'

Kasper Bosmans' wilfully anachronistic set of references turn out to be extremely eloquent about the current state of the world, revealing his finesse in appropriating historical material and local traditions to speak about contemporary, global questions. Bosmans exhibition is titled Husbandry, a term used to designate care and cultivation, the rearing of animals or growing of crops. In medieval Europe, good husbandry had a moral connotation, extending beyond the prudent running of a household to a broader notion of the wise management of God’s bounty. Retaining the reference to man’s stewardship of nature, Bosmans examines strategies of succession, the passing down of wealth and power that was so often controlled through marriage and procreation. The exhibition is divided in two sections: a bestiary including works in which animals play a central role; and a pantry, which offers what Bosmans calls “history seen from the kitchen,” through everyday practices of combining different ideas, tastes and materials to create new recipes. Both sections feature existing projects and new works cooked up for the occasion.