On Saturday 24 October, Kunsthal Extra City opens In Remembrance of the Earldom of Watou, the first posthumous exhibition of Guillaume Bijl. Twenty-four years after its original presentation during Kunstenfestival Watou in 2002, this exceptional work is being reconstructed for the first time in the former Dominican church of Kunsthal Extra City.

The installation brings together a fictional-historical museum, a banquet hall and the theatre piece The Early Years of the Earldom of Watou. Historical and fictional elements constantly intertwine. The different spaces, objects and theatrical elements come together to create an immersive experience in which Bijl plays with the boundary between fact and fiction.

The theatre piece

The Early Years of the Earldom of Watou is the only theatre piece in Bijl’s oeuvre and forms an integral part of the installation. During the opening, the piece will be performed twice, at 3 and 5 pm, by amateur actors from Antwerp. Each performance lasts approximately 20 minutes.

The performances are free and open to everyone. No booking is required: seating is available on a first come, first served basis. If you would like to sit, we recommend arriving early.

As in the original performance in Watou in 2002, table beer, bread and fruit will be served in the banquet hall during the performance. Afterwards, you are invited to explore the installation further.

The procession

After the first performance, performers in medieval costume will make their way through the city as part of the tableau vivant. The procession brings the fictional Earldom of Watou literally out into the city. You can watch the performers depart, walk along with them for part of the route, or welcome them back to Extra City.

Programme

The public opening is free and open to everyone. Between 6 and 9 pm, medieval soup will be served in the bar by Charlotte Coopman. We will round off the evening with a DJ set.

2 pm: Opening
3 pm: First performance
4 pm: Procession
5 pm: Second performance: The Early Years of the Earldom of Watou
6 pm: Medieval soup served in the bar by Charlotte Coopman (until 9 pm)
9 pm: DJ set