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First-ever museum pairing of the in-demand, internationally renowned artists hailing from Belgium and the Netherlands

Exhibition title: MICHAËL BORREMANS MARK MANDERS: Double Silence
Period: Saturday, September 19, 2020–Sunday, February 28, 2021
Closed: Mondays (except September 21, November 23, January 11), September 23, November 24, December 29–January 1, January 12
Hours: 10:00–18:00 (until 20:00 Fridays and Saturdays; until 17:00 January 2 and 3)

* Tickets sold until 30 minutes before closing time
Venue: 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Galleries 7–12, 14
Admission:Adult ¥1,200 (¥1,000)/Students ¥800 (¥600)/Elem/JH/HS ¥400 (¥300)/
65 and over ¥1,000 (¥1,000)
*prices in parentheses for groups of 20 people or more and advance sale tickets
*price includes same-day admission to the collection exhibition being held concurrently (October 17, 2020–Sunday, February 28, 2021).
*Entry to the exhibition will be for a designated date only.

Advance ticket sales begin September 1, 2020 at 10am via our website ( www.kanazawa21.jp ).
Designated date tickets may be purchased until 23:59 on the day prior to the designated viewing date.
Organized by 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa [Kanazawa Art Promotion and Development Foundation]
Grants from Flemish Authorities, Mondriaan Fonds
Supported by Konishi Brewing Co., Ltd.
Inquiries: 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa (Tel: +81-76-220-2800)

【About the Exhibition】
Both Michaël Borremans and Mark Manders are known to the world for unique and unconventional expression grounded in the proud traditions of European art. The 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa is now delighted to present “Double Silence,” an exhibition that will see the paintings of Borremans, who mines Baroque painting tradition to portray the dark recesses of the human soul; and sculptures of Manders, with their striking bodily fragments, created in accordance with the artist’s concept of “Self-Portrait as a Building,” occupying the same space for the first time. Once seen, these artistic explorations of universal human existence are sure to remain imprinted indelibly on the memory as a procession of extraordinary images. “Double Silence” will also serve as a reminder that art history does not tell of the past, but rather plays an important role in rediscovering the value of the real world. The dialogue between the works by Borremans and Manders and the architecture of SANAA is another major attraction of this exhibition in which over 80 works speak eloquently to the viewer amid thought-provoking quietude.

【About the artists】
Michaël Borremans
Born 1963 in Geraardsbergen, Belgium; lives and works in Ghent, Belgium. Fascinated by the techniques and themes of western painting tradition as seen in the work of artists like Velasquez and Manet, Borremans perceives painting as a universal language serving as a window on imaginary worlds. The influence of conceptual art, which rejects concrete meaning and narrative, is very much evident in his works, which possess a singular aura that conveys the disquiet and danger lurking in the everyday, via subjects rich in anomalies and ambiguities. In recent years Borremans has also expanded his practice to include painting-derived works on video. He has been invited to participate in international exhibitions including the Biennale of Sydney (2018, Australia), Yokohama Triennale (2011, Japan), Berlin Biennale (2006, Germany), and Manifesta 5 (2004, San Sebastian, Spain), and in 2010 produced a series of commissioned works for the Monarchy of Belgium exhibited at the Royal Palace in Brussels.

Mark Manders
Born 1968 in Volkel, the Netherlands; lives and works in Ronse, Belgium. Since Manders adopted the concept of “Self-Portrait as Building” in 1986, all his works have constituted part of a single, mammoth, self-portrait. Although his drawings and sculptures could be described as complete in themselves, they are partially interchangeable, and evolve continuously and organically according to how they are combined in his “imaginary rooms.” Manders’ installations are imbued with an imperishable, universal quality, as if frozen in a certain moment in time, and evoke in the viewer feelings of calm, and absence. Manders participated in the São Paulo Biennale (1998, Brazil) and represented the Netherlands at the Dutch Pavilion at the 55th Venice Biennale (2013, Italy). Recent solo outings include a large-scale exhibition at the Bonnefantenmuseum (2020, Maastricht, Netherlands) and monumental outdoor sculptures for the Public Art Fund (2019, Central Park, New York, USA) and the Rokin Square (2017, Amsterdam, the Netherlands).

●Press Guidance Announcement
Date: September 18, 2019 (Fri.) 13:30-15:00 (reception desk opens from 13:00 at general information)
Venue: Lecture Hall, 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa
Contents (TBC)
1. Greeting from the director
2. Brief description of the exhibition
3. Each gallery explanation
4. Questions and answers

Michaël Borremans and Mark Manders are unable to attend the press guidance due to ongoing travel restrictions related to the spread of the new coronavirus infection.
Please contact the Public Relations Office if you would like to attend the press guidance on the 18th September and also you would like to interview via online or email to the artists.

[Contact]
Exhibition Curators: KUROSAWA Hiromi, NAKATA Koichi
Public Relations Office: ISHIKAWA Satoko, SAITO Chie, OCHIAI Hiroaki
1-2-1 Hirosaka, Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan 920-8509
Tel: +81-(0)76-220-2814 Fax: +81-(0)76-220-2802
https://www.kanazawa21.jp/en/　E-mail: press@kanazawa21.jp