M opens top international exhibition Alabaster and solo exhibition Kato Six

October 3, 2022

From 14th October, there will be a top international exhibition running at M Leuven in collaboration with the Louvre. M is showingsculpture made from the particular stone type alabaster, a soft material similar to marble and popular in Europe from the 14th to 17th centuries. The literal highlight of the exhibition is a multimedia display of the 6.5m-high altarpiece of St Anna from the Celestine Convent in Heverlee, now in the M-Collection. On the very same evening, a second exhibition opens at M by contemporary artist Kato Six opens.

Alabaster

"M has over recent years at home and abroad built a solid reputation as a centre of excellence in medieval sculpture. This has now resulted in 'Alabaster', a stunning exhibition in collaboration with the world-famous Louvre museum. This prestigious exhibition showcases international loans and masterpieces from across Europe and presents the result of a multidisciplinary research programme based on isotope analysis. A great example of international cooperation," says Denise Vandevoort, alderman for culture and chair of the board of M.

Sophie Jugie, curator at the Louvre, adds: "Alabaster was popular in the 14th to 17th centuries because it is similar to marble but its softness makes it much easier to work with. In the exhibition, visitors will learn more about the use of alabaster for sculpture and the characteristics of the stone through funerary monuments, altarpieces, devotional works and collectibles."

"The exhibition ends with the spectacular 6.5m-high Saint Anne altarpiece from the Celestine Convent in Heverlee, now part of the M Collection. In the exhibition, this retable from 1610 illustrates a final highlight of the use of alabaster in the Low Countries. At the same time, M asked contemporary artist Sofie Muller (born 1974), who often uses alabaster, to take inspiration from M's St Anne's retable and, as an epilogue to the expo, create a new work" Marjan Debaene, head of the Ancient Art department at M and curator of the exhibition, adds.

Kato Six

The work of Kato Six balances between abstract and figurative art. She works on different themes and which elaborates them into series. As part of this, architecture, design, domesticity and utensils all act as important references. On the basis of these interests, she uses recognisable and everyday materials such as MDF, stone, plastic or textiles. That way, she wants to force the viewer to look at familiar objects or images from a different perspective. In addition to existing sculptures, drawings and a new series of textile works, M presents wall works created especially for M.

Eva Wittocx, Head of Department for Contemporary Art at M and curator of the exhibition, says:"M can provide support to artists in their careers in various ways. This solo exhibition is a one great example of that. It is Kato Six’s first museum exhibition and alongside it, a first monograph on her work will be published. Kato Six has already shown some of her work as part of the group exhibition 'The Constant Glitch’ and M also has several of her works in its collection."

Practical Information

M will festively open both exhibitions on Thursday 13th October at 20:00. Admission is free and there is no need to register.

'Alabaster' runs from 14.10.2022 until 26.02.2023. More info at mleuven.be/albast. Kato Six's exhibition runs from 14.10.2022 until 26.02.2023. In this context, an 'Artist Talk' will take place on 1 December at 19:00. For more information and tickets, go to mleuven.be/katosix.

The press preview will take place on Wednesday 12th October in the presence of the chair of the M board and alderman for culture Denise Vandevoort, general director of the M Leuven Peter Bary, department head of ancient art and curator at M Leuven Marjan Debaene, department head of contemporary art and curator at M Leuven Eva Wittocx and artist Kato Six.

Start: 9:45 am
Visit exhibitions: 10:40 am
Interviews with Kato Six are possible on request