Suzan Peeters, Vitja Pauwels & Simon Leleux

The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium house an extraordinary collection of masterpieces. Three musicians wander through the galleries and bring their favourite paintings to life in sound. Visit the museum and enjoy the unexpected musical interludes by accordionist Suzan Peeters, guitarist Vitja Pauwels and percussionist Simon Leleux.

Practicalities

• This ticket also includes access to the Old Masters Museum.

• After your ticket is scanned, proceed through security and the cloakroom. A little further on, behind the information desk in the museum’s central hall, you will spot the meeting point by the Klarafestival flag, where we will start the musical tour together. 

• Estimated end of the concert at 16:50

Suzan Peeters - Keukenstuk (Kitchen Piece) by Frans Snijders and Cornelis De Vos

Why did you choose this artwork and what will your musical interpretation of it sound like?
‘This painting is so dramatic and bombastic that it also becomes absurd and humorous at some level. Although it dates back to the 17th century, it feels very contemporary to me. It’s so excessive; the idea of never having enough and wanting everything, without compromise. I see it not only as a critique of our contemporary food industry, but also of a society saturated with stimuli, desires and excess. In my music, I enjoy seeking out a touch of drama and theatricality, and that chimes perfectly with this work. As such, my soundtrack may well be somewhat chaotic; the sound of the accordion blending with field recordings of animals: alive, gritty and present, or else hushed and ominous.’

If you were to hang this artwork at home, where would you put it?
‘I find the painting a bit too dramatic to hang in my house; I prefer to seek out calm there. But if I really had to, then it definitely belongs in the kitchen. There, it would serve as an ironic nudge to cook more mindfully and simply.’

Vitja Pauwels - The Source of Inspiration (1907) by Constant Montald

Why did you choose this artwork, and what will your musical interpretation of it sound like?
‘Both the title and the mystical, poetic nature and transcendental atmosphere of this painting resonate with my personal creative quest. I hope to be able to offer a ‘literal’ ode to the work. Conversely, I hope that the painting itself will provide me with the necessary inspiration.’

If you were to hang this artwork in your home, where would you put it?
‘Sadly, I don’t have space at home for this monumental painting. But if I lived in a castle, I’d definitely find a place for it.'

Simon Leleux - The Fall of the Rebel Angels (1562) by Pieter Bruegel 

Why did you choose this artwork, and what will your musical interpretation of it sound like?
'In this work, various opposites converge: good versus evil, light versus darkness, monstrous versus virtuous. Those contrasts prompt me to reflect on the complexity of the aesthetics. The painting is packed with details that a viewer only gradually uncovers. Every time your eye lingers somewhere, you discover a new scene or a new layer of meaning. It’s only when you take a step back and look at the whole that you can feel the overarching aesthetic and emotion behind this abundance. In my musical interpretation, I try to evoke this rich tapestry once again, without overdoing it. I'm on the hunt for a 'monstrously beautiful' sound.' 

If you were to hang this artwork at home, where would you put it?
'I'd hang it somewhere I could look at it while practising, for inspiration.'