The Year in Review: 2024
A list of my favourite books, films, albums and exhibitions of the year.
Further Reading
No more Mendelism. Bauhaus in exile. Eating the Earth. DNA from Pompeii body casts. Why dogs shake themselves dry. A history of the comic strip. Zur Soziologie des Verlusts. Francis Williams gets his due. Sophie Calle. David Bessis. Bruce Nauman. And more.
Cindy Sherman at FOMU
As part of the Ensor year Antwerp’s photography museum (FOMU) has organized a retrospective of the American artist Cindy Sherman with a specific focus on her engagement with the world of fashion.
James Ensor at KMSKA
In 2024, James Ensor is being celebrated across Belgium to mark 75 years since the artist's death. The KMSKA has organized a comprehensive survey of his work with loans from around the world.
Rancière and Chekhov on Freedom
Jacques Rancière's latest essay, Au loin la liberté, is a wonderful treatise on Chekhov. Its title couldn't be better chosen.
Tom Wesselmann at the Fondation Louis Vuitton
I enjoyed the Tom Wesselmann retrospective at the Fondation Louis Vuitton much more than I had expected. The exhibition doubles as a grand survey of Pop Art, with works by all the usual suspects and some surprises.
Surrealism at the Centre Pompidou
To celebrate the centenary of the birth of Surrealism the Centre Pompidou, in collaboration with several other museums, has organized a large survey, which shows Surrealism in all its breadth and geographical scope.
Bande Dessinée 1964-2024 at the Centre Pompidou
I wish I had scheduled more time to visit Bande Dessinée 1964-2024, the amazing comic art exhibition at the Centre Pompidou. There was simply too much to see and discover and too many artists that I had never heard of.
Arte Povera at the Bourse de Commerce
The Bourse de Commerce currently hosts a major exhibition which celebrates Arte Povera in all its diversity and wittiness.
Figures of the Fool at the Louvre
“Figures of the Fool” is a fascinating exhibition. I didn’t know that the fool or the joker has such a rich cultural history.
The Atomic Age at the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris
The Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris has organized an interesting but somewhat uneven exhibition, which explores how artists responded to the advent of the atomic age and the invention of the atomic bomb.
Chantal Akerman at Jeu de Paume
Travelling is the first major exhibition dedicated to Belgian film maker Chantal Akerman and features installations, film excerpts and never-before-seen archive material.