For the expo "Stille Levens," artist Koen Broucke artistically examines the many invisible and unprecedented collections in a city like Ostend, especially of beachcombers.

Broucke went in search of the stories and lives behind these bizarre and hybrid collections. The joy with which a child collects shells or the sadness at the loss of a beloved toy or a wedding ring in the sand: the underlying emotions are contained in these objects.

As curator of the exhibition, Koen Broucke was inspired by the work "Stilleven met schelpen, flesje laudanum en pillendoosje (Still Life with Shells, Bottle of Laudanum and Pillbox)" by Léon Spilliaert. He invited more than 40 artists to give a visual response. Growth and decay of collections is the thread running through the expo. The result can be seen at the Venetian Galleries from Feb. 18 to May 21, 2023.

With the works of:

Joseph Neutens, Léon Spilliaert, Jean Brusselmans, Constant Permeke, George van Raemdonck, Jan Cockx, Giorgio Morandi, Marc Mendelson, Karel Dierickx, Jacques Vilet, Jan Vanriet, Werner Watty, Ronald De Preter, Reniere&Depla, Xavier Tricot, Eric Leon, Herman Bellaert, Jan De Maesschalck, William Ploegaert, Herr Seele, Caroline Alida, Bart Vandevijvere, Karin Pierloot, Leen Van Rossem, Koen Broucke, Lode Laperre, Matthieu Lobelle, Steven Decroos, Yves Beaumont, Yves Velter, Chris Meulemans, Erwin Cattoor, Hans Defer, Stief DeSmet, Sofie Muller, Nico Vaerewijck, Gerrit LM Vermeiren SE, Karel Wouters, Hannes Couvreur, Ritsart Gobyn, Bram Van Breda.