In 2024 Belgium is celebrating the life and works of James Sidney Edouard, Baron Ensor. Ostend, Brussels, Antwerp and other places are going all in on James Ensor. The Ensor Year is a big marketing tool. 

FOMU, short for FotoMuseum or the Antwerp photography museum links Ensor to Cindy Sherman from the United States. 

FOMU presents Belgium’s first major solo of the American artist Cindy Sherman. Featuring more than 100 works from the 1970s to the present, the exhibition offers an exciting overview of this leading contemporary artist’s work.

‘Anti-Fashion’

Spanning five decades of work divided over multiple floors, the exhibition ‘Anti-Fashion‘ dives deeper into Sherman’s fascination for fashion and the nexus between her independent work and commissions in the fashion industry. 

Since the 1980s she has worked regularly with leading fashion houses including Comme des Garçons, John Galliano and Balenciaga and fashion magazines such as Vogue, Interview and Harper’s Bazaar. 

With no interest in glamorous fashion shoots, she creates provocative photos featuring figures that could hardly be called beautiful, thus calling established ideals of beauty into question.

‘Cindy Sherman – Anti-Fashion‘ is realised by the Staatsgalerie Stuttgart in cooperation with Cindy Sherman’s studio in New York and her gallery Hauser & Wirth.

The book ‘Cindy Sherman – Anti-Fahion’ to accompany the exhibition is published by Hannibal Books. Hardcover, 184 pages, for sale for € 59.

More on Cindy Sherman’s work

In her photographs, Cindy Sherman, born in 1954 looks at identity as a construct, exploring the ways in which women are depicted in mass media. She has served as her own model since the 1970s. 

“In make-up, costumed and disguised, she continually occupies a new identity, taking inspiration from the endless visual clichés on offer in film, television, fashion, magazines, art history and the internet. She exaggerates stereotypes to absurd and even grotesque dimensions to expose rigid conceptions of gender, beauty and ageing. Each time anew, Sherman subjects dominant visual patterns to a critical investigation, always in step with the zeitgeist and continually surprising the viewer with her characters and subjects. With humour and intelligence, she confronts us with reflections of ourselves”, FOMU says.

Early Works

Also on view is a presentation of ‘Early Works 1975 – 1980‘ that sheds light on some of Sherman’s main motivations and ideas. It includes experimental works from her student years and her iconic series ‘Untitled Film Stills‘, which led to her international breakthrough in the late 1970s.

FOMU’s Cindy Sherman exhibition is part of Ensor 2024, a year-long programme marking 75 years since James Ensor’s death. Like Ensor, Sherman expresses her critical take on social conventions through masks and disguises. 

Who was James Ensor? 

Born in Ostend on 13 April 1860, James Ensor is widely considered one of the most influential figures in the development of Expressionism. His work, characterized by its bold colors, grotesque imagery, and satirical commentary on society, challenged traditional artistic conventions and paved the way for future generations of artists.

Ensor’s early years were marked by a deep connection to his hometown of Ostend. Growing up in a family of glassmakers, he was exposed to the vibrant colours and textures of their craft, which would later inform his own artistic style. 

He studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels, where he was influenced by the teachings of the Belgian Realist painters. However, Ensor’s artistic vision soon diverged from the prevailing academic style, as he began to experiment with more expressive and unconventional approaches.

Ensor’s breakthrough came in the early 1880s with a series of paintings that explored themes of carnival and masquerade. Inspired by the festive atmosphere of the annual Ostend Carnival, Ensor created works that were filled with colourful costumes, masks, and grotesque figures. These paintings often conveyed a sense of underlying anxiety and social critique, as Ensor used the carnival as a metaphor for the hypocrisy and superficiality of human nature.

One of Ensor’s most famous works from this period is ‘The Entry of Christ into Brussels‘ (1888), a large-scale painting that depicts a satirical scene of Jesus Christ entering the city amidst a crowd of grotesque and caricatured figures. The painting’s bold colors and exaggerated forms reflect Ensor’s desire to challenge traditional religious iconography and confront the hypocrisy of contemporary society.

In the 1890s, Ensor’s work became increasingly introspective and symbolic. He began to explore themes of death, decay, and the human condition, often using masks and skeletons as recurring motifs. 

‘The Skeletons Feasting‘ (1897) is a particularly haunting example of this period, depicting a macabre scene of skeletons feasting on a banquet table. The painting’s dark palette and grotesque imagery evoke a sense of existential despair and the inevitability of death.

Ensor’s artistic style continued to evolve throughout his career. In the early 20th century, he began to experiment with new techniques, such as collage and printmaking. He also became increasingly interested in political and social issues, using his art to criticize the injustices of his time. His later works often incorporated elements of Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism, reflecting his ongoing exploration of new artistic possibilities.

Ensor’s influence on subsequent generations of artists is undeniable. His bold colors, expressive brushwork, and willingness to confront taboo subjects have inspired countless artists, from Edvard Munch to Willem de Kooning. 

Today, Ensor is recognized as one of the most important figures in the history of modern art. His work continues to captivate and challenge viewers, offering a unique and powerful commentary on the human condition.

Ensor died on 19 November 1949, aged 89.