(c) Pauline Colleu, courtesy of the artists and Xavier Hufkens, Brussels
The 40th edition represents movement, harmony, humanity and intensity. ‘Watou 2021’ is as an outstretched hand to experience poetry and visual art with brains, senses and feelings, thus being filled with the multi-layered nature of art. ‘Watou 2021’ starts from within mankind himself. The curators ask themselves the question: What is our role and position in this world?
The curators invite the public to look, read, feel, reflect and connect. With art, poetry, nature and one another. The arts festival has more than 30 visual artists, including Tracey Emin (GB), Mark Manders (B/NL), Neo Matloga (ZA) en Esther Kläs & Gustavo Gomes (D; picture).
The participating poets are established names from Flanders and the Netherlands. Stefan Hertmans, who has turned 70, will be celebrated. A selection of 14 poems can also be rediscovered along the ‘Watou Poems Trail 2021’. Nature and poetry come together in a bicycle ride between Poperinge and Watou.
‘Watou 2021’ follows a renewed and surprising route. The three corners of the route are: Watou, the artistic town itself, the centre of Poperinge and the new location, Kasteel De Lovie, in between.