A sculpture garden that intertwines art and nature—doesn't that sound like the ultimate place to relax?
Guided entirely by his intuition and taste, entrepreneur and art collector Hugo Voeten (1940-2017) created his sculpture garden in Geel. The collection consists of a mix of contemporary and modern art from different corners of the world. In addition to Belgian works by artists such as Ronald De Winter and Panamarenko, you will find sculptures by artists from Bulgaria, Zimbabwe, the Netherlands, and Germany. These sculptures interact with the evergreen flora designed by landscape architect Jacques Wirtz.
A real eye-catcher is Wim Delvoye's work Dump Truck (2006). The Gothic-inspired truck is parked in the open space of the garden. In his characteristic style, Delvoye removes the industrial vehicle from its context and places it in a Gothic atmosphere. He interprets medieval art from a contemporary perspective. By leaving many gaps, the object is reduced to its essence and functions exclusively as a sculpture. It blends in with the flat surroundings of only grass and distant trees, which further enhances the monumentality of the object.
In the middle of the park, we encounter a giant, bright pink bull. Its belly is filled with colorful balls. This is the work The Herd by Bulgarian artist Pavel Koichev. The work leaves room for interpretation. In his typical experimental style, Koichev plays with various shapes and materials. The pink color contrasts with the green nature and adds a playful touch to the whole.
A little further on in the park, we come across Motherhood, a work by Emil Popov. The theme of fertility is central to Popov's work. This former fountain honors motherhood and life. The overhanging trees reinforce this effect, as they seem to protect the artwork.
The garden is also a work of art in itself. Garden and landscape architect Jacques Wirtz embraces the'evergreen' concepthere and uses only evergreen plants, so that the Sculpture Garden retains its beauty in every season.
Throughout the walk, visitors explore different areas of the park, where the architect plays with the balance between art and nature. Nature dominates the modern park, while in the geometric park, green hedges form garden rooms that highlight the artworks. Wirtz continues to surprise visitors, and we can say that harmony and order are the common thread.
Want to enrich your visit? Then follow the Hugo Voeten Sculpture Garden walk with the ErfgoedApp immerse yourself in a place full of sculpture and nature!
Visit the Hugo Voeten Sculpture Garden between March and October at fixed times and by prior reservation. Tickets are available via collectionhugovoeten.simplybook.it.
