Berlinde De Bruyckere is a Belgian artist known for creating sculptures and installations that capture the decay and transformation of everyday life. Read about her life and her new exhibition.
My first experience of Berlinde De Bruyckere
I first came across the work of Berlinde De Bruyckere when she exhibited at Gaasbeek Castle. That was back in 2008. I was struck by her haunting sculptures that invited me to think about my own mortality and the natural changes we all go through. With a new exhibition opening soon at Bozar in Brussels, I thought it was time I included her in my series of Remarkable Belgians. After all, Berlinde De Bruyckere has carved a remarkable and unique niche in contemporary art globally.
Discovering a passion for art
Berlinde De Bruyckere was born in Ghent in 1964 in the working-class neighborhood of Muide. From an early age she was interested in art and showed a clear talent. However, her parents were not convinced of the wisdom of sending their only daughter to school. Ultimately, Berlinde largely funded herself by giving drawing lessons. She graduated from the LUCA School of Arts in Ghent in 1986, and did her residency at the In Flanders Field Museum.
Two interesting early influences on her artwork were her father’s occupation and her schooling. Her father was a butcher, which meant that Berlinde was always around corpses. And she attended a Catholic boarding school, which led to religious elements appearing in her work.
First successes of Berlinde De Bruyckere
In 1990, she won the prestigious Jeune Peinture Belge prize from the Centre for Fine Arts. In the decade to come, her sculptures found their way to important museums and art events at home and abroad. Her big breakthrough came in 1999, when she represented Belgian at the Venice Biennale.
Berlinde’s first recognizable forms were the Blanket People: frail, battered figures with colorful blankets over their heads. The blankets offer protection, but they are also oppressive. Who were these people under the blankets? The homeless? The destitute? Refugees? Oppressed women?
(Left) Berlinde De Bruyckere, Arcangelo III (San Giorgio) 2024, wax, animal hair, silicone, iron, epoxy. Courtesy the artist and Hauser & Wirth. Photo: Mirjam Devriendt.
(Right) Berlinde De Bruyckere, Fran Dics, 2001. horsehair, wax, polyester. Private Collection, Belgium. Photo: Mirjam Devriendt.
Art that reflects Life
Berlinde’s work is all about showing the human side of life. Instead of using fancy materials, she often works with everyday substances like wax, hair, fabric, metal and wood – as well as more unusual choices like animal skins. These choices help her create pieces that seem to change over time, much like our own lives. Whether it’s a soft, melting figure or a piece that looks both strong and fragile, there’s something about her art that makes us pause.
Berlinde De Bruyckere, Into One-another I, 2011, wax, wood, glass, iron, epoxy. Iself Collection. Photo: Mirjam Devriendt.
Controversy is never far away
Throughout her career, Berlinde De Bruyckere has not been far from controversy. She began to sculpt deformed bodies from wax, covered with wool, often without head and genitals. Police in Ghent once received multiple calls from the public about a woman’s body floating in the city’s canals. It turned out to be one of Berlinde’s corpse sculptures. Her sculptures of dead horses hanging from trees caused a similar shocked response. But they were all part of her motives: the vulnerability and fragility of humans, the suffering body – both human and animal – and the unstoppable power of nature.
Berlinde De Bruyckere, Lost V, 2022, horsehide, marble, textile, iron, epoxy. Courtesy the artist and Hauser & Wirth
Bringing her work to the world
Over the years, Berlinde’s creations have been displayed in galleries and museums not just in Belgium, but all around the world. People from many different backgrounds are drawn to her art because it speaks to universal feelings – whether it’s about facing hard times or finding strength in vulnerability. Her exhibitions offer a space where everyone can connect with the shared experiences of being human.
(Left) Berlinde De Bruyckere, Invisible Beauty, 2011, wax, wood, rope, horsehair, leather, iron, epoxy. Private Collection Buggenhout, Ghent. Photo: Mirjam Devriendt
(Right) Berlinde De Bruyckere, Met tere huid, 2022, wax, leather, wood, wool, silk, iron armature, epoxy. Rigo Saitta Collection. Photo : Mirjam Devriendt
“At the heart of De Bruyckere’s oeuvre lies an unflinching exploration of the human body – its vulnerability, its transient beauty, and its inevitable decline.”
Berlinde De Bruyckere at Bozar
From 21 February 2025, Berlinde De Bruyckere is presenting her first solo exhibition at the Brussels Palace of Fine Arts (Bozar). It covers a selection of her works spanning 25 years. Under the title Khorós, the exhibition focuses on the human condition, which as I mentioned above is a recurring theme in her work. Her pieces are spread over 1,000 square meters of exhibition space.
You will encounter both monumental sculptures and installations, as well as smaller works. Khorós also incorporates photographs, video and audio fragments, where we can drop in on dialogues between De Bruyckere’s art and the contributions of fellow artists such as Patti Smith, Pier Paolo Pasolini and Lucas Cranach. This explains the title. “Khorós” refers to the groups of singers and dancers who collaborated in ancient Greek tragedies.
The exhibition also focuses on the body: its vitality, decay and constant transformation. You will come face to face with some of the unconventional materials she uses, such as horse bodies, worn blankets, animal skins, trees, flowers and rusted metal, deliberately repurposing discarded objects to give them new meaning.
“It is the eternal horror and beauty that we as humans cannot fully comprehend, yet remain an integral part of. My work is always a reflection of how I observe and question the world, both as a human being and as an artist.”
Berlinde De Bruyckere
Opening times of Khorós
The Khorós exhibition of Berlinde de Bruyckere’s work is open to the public from Friday 21 February until 31 August. Tickets cost 18 euros, with a reduced rate of 9 euros. They can be purchased from the Bozar website.
I hope you enjoy exploring the themes of decay, transformation, and the quiet power of vulnerability in this exhibition of the work of Berlinde De Bruyckere. If you visit it, I would welcome your thoughts below or via email. In the meantime, here is Berlinde talking about her work:
I created Discovering Belgium in 2011 to share the country’s hidden stories, fascinating places, and remarkable people. Through articles, photography, and audio walks, I share discoveries that reveal Belgium beyond the obvious. Hope you enjoy this site.
I’m glad she had the determination to make it as an artist – I find these works visceral and haunting.
Can’t say I like her work, Denzil. It’s creepy, especially the human figure covered with horse hair. The stuff of nightmares.
Not really my cup of tea but I admire the time taken to create these works.