ARNE QUINZE AND JOANA VASCONCELOS
THE ABSURD AND THE DREAMLIKE

LA CITADELLE, VILLEFRANCHE-SUR-MER, FRANCE
19 JUNE – 31 OCTOBER 2026

“The Absurd and the Dreamlike” is a major exhibition opening in summer 2026 at the historic Citadel of Villefranche-sur-Mer, by Belgian artist Arne Quinze. The project brings together a remarkable ensemble of works created in dialogue with Joana Vasconcelos. Inspired by the poetic spirit associated with Villefranche-sur-Mer, the exhibition explores the space between reality and imagination. Throughout the Citadel, installations transform the historic site into a living landscape where art, history, and nature intersect, inviting visitors into a world shaped by curiosity, reflection, and wonder.

Within this context, Joana Vasconcelos enters into dialogue with Quinze through a practice defined by transformation and contrast. Her work brings elements of the domestic sphere into the public realm, shifting objects traditionally associated with private interiors into monumental and unexpected forms. Through handcrafted materials, scale shifts, and surprising juxtapositions, familiar objects become part of a dreamlike and poetic landscape.Visitors will encounter monumental sculptures, immersive installations, paintings, video, and sound works. The exhibition will also premiere new collaborative pieces by Quinze and Vasconcelos, bringing their distinct artistic languages into a shared visual narrative.Curated by Selcan Atilgan, founder of ARTSA Consultancy, and presented under the direction of Camille Frasca, with Clare Lilley as the guest curator.

„Dream and absurdity are inseparable. It is in the tension between opposing forces what appears illogical acquires form. This exhibition materialises this concept, revealing a universe where the improbable gives rise to new dimensions.“ – Joana Vasconcelos

FEATURED ARTISTS

ARNE QUINZE
Arne Quinze (b. 1971 in Belgium) is a Belgian contemporary artist, painter and sculptor. His work involves everything from small drawings and paintings to medium-sized sculptures to massive installations. Quinze was born in Belgium in 1971 and currently lives and works in Sint-Martens-Latem, a town near the Belgian city of Ghent. His early career in the 1980s was as a graffiti artist. He always questioned the role of our cities and started his search for cities to become open-air museums. His work quickly evolved from Street Art to Public Art with recurring themes such as social interaction, urbanisation, and diversity.
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JOANA VASCONCELOS
Joana Vasconcelos (b. 1971) is a Portuguese visual artist with a career spanning nearly 30 years and a huge variety of media. Recognised for her monumental sculptures and immersive installations, she decontextualises everyday objects and updates the arts and crafts concept for the 21st century, establishing a dialogue between the private sphere and public space, popular heritage, and high culture. With humor and irony, she questions the status of women, consumer society, and collective identity.

International acclaim arrived in 2005 with The Bride at the first Venice Biennale curated by women, where she has returned three times to dat...
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