Francis Alÿs: The Nature of the Game
Following his presentation for the Flemish entry for the Belgian Pavilion at the 59th Venice Biennale in 2022, Alÿs presents this new, more comprehensive version of the exhibition The Nature of the Game, twelve years after the artist’s memorable retrospective at WIELS that introduced Belgian audiences to the full scope of his work.
Francis Alÿs lives and works in Mexico City. Alÿs trained as an architect. In his practice, he uses a variety of media, ranging from painting and drawing to video and animation. His work addresses ethnological and geopolitical themes by observing daily life during his walks and travels. His series Children’s Games (1999-ongoing) is a collection of scenes of children playing in various countries around the world. Ten new films, made in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Belgium, Canada, Iraq and Hong Kong were shown at the 59th Venice Biennale in 2022. His work has been exhibited in renowned museums around the world.
“Whereas adults are more likely to use speech to process experiences – whereas adults speak -, children play to assimilate the realities they encounter. Their games mimic, mock or defy the rules of the adult society that surrounds them. The act of playing can also help them to cope with traumatic experiences such as those of war by creating a simulacrum of the real and turning the dramatic circumstances around them into a more fictional, ludic world. But the magical thing about a child’s game is that it holds no secrets, “it’s all there is”. We as adults should be faithful to the children we were; remember and trust that moment, the most precious one of our existence.”
wed, thu, fri, sat, sun 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
mon, tue
M: welcome@wiels.org
Website
ADDRESS
Wiels Contemporary Art Centre, Avenue Van Volxem 354
